Japan imported shrimp with a total value of USD 493.3 million (EUR 440.9 million) in the first-quarter of this year, an increase of 7 percent year-on-year, continuing the growth trend seen in 2016.
Last year was the first year since 2010 that Japanese imports of shrimp showed any growth, with the trade amounting to USD 2.4 billion (EUR 2.1 billion), up 4 percent compared with 2015. This increase was driven by higher demand for high-end marine and farmed black tiger shrimp as well as improved sales of processed and semi-processed shrimp.
Vietnam was the main suppler of shrimp to the Japanese market in Q1 2017, accounting for almost 26 percent of the trade with USD 127.6 million (EUR 114.1 million) worth of product, followed by Thailand with 18.3 percent with a value of USD 79.2 million (EUR 70.8 million), Indonesia with 16.3 percent valued at USD 78.7 million (EUR 70.4 million) and India with 7.9 percent valued at USD 58.7 million (EUR 52.5 million).
The average import price for Vietnamese shrimp during this period was US 12 (EUR 10.73) per kg.
In 2016, Japan imported 2 percent less shrimp from Vietnam, but the trade began to recover in August.
In total, Vietnam exported USD 618 million (EUR 552.5 million) worth of shrimp in Q1 2017, which was on par with the corresponding quarter of 2016, with products going to 68 markets. Of this total, Vietnam's whiteleg shrimp exports totaled USD 391.7 million (EUR 350.2 million), an increase of 10.6 percent, while exports of black tiger shrimp amounted to USD 168.7 million (EUR 150.8 million), down by 21 percent from Q1 2016. Shipments of marine shrimp reached USD 57.9 million (EUR 51.8 million), up 12.3 percent year-on-year.
Vietnam’s shrimp exports in 2017 are forecast to reach USD 3.4 billion (EUR 3 billion), up 9 percent compared to last year. Its whiteleg shrimp exports are expected to account for around USD 2 billion (EUR 1.8 billion) – up 8 percent, while its black tiger shrimp exports will increase 2 percent in value to USD 900 million (EUR 804.6 million).
The country’s shrimp harvest is expected to increase slightly to 660,000 metric tons (MT) this year.
