Shrimp exporters from Vietnam achieved sales totaling USD 2.2 billion (EUR 2 billion) in the first nine months of this year, representing an increase of 5.6 percent year-on-year, with the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) attributing the growth to stronger demand from main markets and an upward trend of global shrimp prices caused by an overall supply shortage.
Because of the shorter grow-out, higher yields and stable prices, many of Vietnam’s black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) farmers have switched to whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) production. As a result, the total farming area dedicated to whiteleg shrimp production is now estimated at 80,000 hectares, up 6.3 percent compared to a year ago. Together, these farms harvested around 200,000 metric tons (MT) of shrimp for January through September, which represented an increase of 4.2 percent year-on-year. The area dedicated to rearing black tiger shrimp, meanwhile, is estimated at 594,000 hectares, up 0.5 percent, with an output of 160,000 MT, up 0.6 percent.
In this same period, sales of whiteleg shrimp products increased by 11 percent to USD 1.4 billion (EUR 1.3 billion), while exports of black tiger shrimp products brought USD 689 million (EUR 622.7 million), down 3 percent. VASEP said the decline in black tiger shrimp exports may be due to the shortage of raw black tiger supply.
In 2015, Vietnam harvested a total of 600,473 MT of shrimp, comprising 255,873 MT of black tigers and 344,600 MT of whiteleg shrimp.
In terms of markets, after a sharp decline in 2015, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the United States for January through September 2016 grew 15.2 percent year-on-year to USD 520.2 million (EUR 470.2 million).
Exports to the EU market in the same period reached USD 431 million (EUR 389.5 million), up 6.9 percent year-on-year, with strong demand coming from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Looking ahead, the association anticipates Vietnam’s shrimp exports will continue to rise and achieve total sales of USD 3.1 billion (EUR 2.8 billion) in 2016, up 3.3 percent compared to last year.
