Vietnam’s pangasius exports increased by 5.2 percent year-on-year to a total of USD 507.5 million (EUR 455 million) in the first four months of this year, thanks in particular to a surge in the Southeast Asian country’s shipments to China and Hong Kong.
According to the latest statistics from Vietnam Customs, pangasius exports to China and Hong Kong for January through April totaled USD 67.5 million (EUR 60.5 million), up 61.1 percent year-on-year. This represented 13.3 percent of the total export value.
In April alone, this trade amounted to USD 23 million (EUR 20.6 million), which was 93.7 percent more than in the same month of 2015.
Indeed, April was a good month for Vietnam’s pangasius trade, earning a total of USD 142.1 million (EUR 127.4 million), up 13 percent compared to April 2015.
Exports to the United States, which is Vietnam’s leading end-market for pangasius, also increased for the January through April period – at a more modest 7.2 percent to USD 115.2 million (EUR 103.3 million). The U.S. trade accounted for 22.7 percent of the total export value during this period.
There was, however, a 3.3 percent decline in Vietnam’s exports to ASEAN countries – a trade that totaled USD 44 million (EUR 39.5 million). Within this group, Thailand was the biggest importer with USD 15.9 million (EUR 14.3 million), followed by Singapore and the Philippines with USD 11.2 million (EUR 10 million) and USD 9.4 million (EUR 8.4 million), respectively.
With a reduction in Vietnam’s pangasius production in some key provinces, farm gate prices have increased to VND 22,000 (USD 0.98, EUR 0.88) per kg, reported the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
