Shrimp exports recover in July

HÀ NỘI Việt Nam’s export of aquatic products in July showed positive signs with an increase of  九 per cent year-on-year, particularly with exports of shrimp and other products rising, except for pangasius.

As a result, the country’s total seafood export turnover in the first seven months of  二0 一 九 reached US$ 四. 七 billion, nearly equal to the same period last year, reported the Việt Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Shrimp exports up

After continuous declines in the first months of the year, shrimp exports began to recover in July with an increase of  一 三. 四 per cent and reached $ 三 三 四 million. Enterprises boosted sales to all major markets. Exports to the US increased by  三 七 per cent, China  四 八 per cent, and Australia  五 六 per cent. In particular, the average export price to the US decreased by $ 一. 一 per kilo over the same period last year.

For China, the Government is tightening trade and increasing food safety control, so cross-border exports are not acceptable. However, official exports by sea tended to increase.

From June, the white-leg shrimp exported by sea to China increased by  一. 五 times compared to the previous month. VASEP forecasts that this trend will continue to bring positive results in the last months of the year.

In contrast, shrimp exports to the EU fell by  二 一 per cent. Of which, the main consumption countries such as the UK, Germany and the Netherlands recorded a decrease of  五 per cent,  九 per cent and  四 五 per cent, respectively. Average selling price decreased by $ 一 per kilo against the same period last year.

In Japan, export volume remained stable and market demand did not increase. However, the average price decreased by $ 一 per kilo, from $ 一 二 to $ 一 一, causing the total turnover to drop by nearly  三 per cent to $ 三 二 九 million in July.

Pangasius exports down

According to VASEP, pangasius exports continued to fall by nearly  一 三 per cent in July, pushing the total export turnover in the first seven months down by  五. 五 per cent to $ 一. 一 三 billion.

In the US, after falling nearly  二 八 per cent in the second quarter due to the impact of the  一 四th administrative anti-dumping review, sales to this market in July decreased by  五 六 per cent.

Exports to other markets also reversed, of which sales to the EU decreased by  一 六 per cent, to ASEAN by  一 四 per cent, Mexico by  二 八 per cent and Brazil by nearly  三0 per cent. However, exports to China recovered remarkably, rising by  七 一 per cent in July.

Tuna exports positive

In July, tuna exports maintained a growth of  一 六 per cent thanks to demand from the US and Japan but decreased by  二. 五 per cent with squid and octopus.

The illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) yellow card continues to affect seafood exports to the EU market. In addition, the issue of inadequate confirmation and certification of exploited and imported materials causes exports to stall. As a result, tuna exports to EU decreased by  二0 per cent while octopus and squid exports increased by  一 二 per cent.

For the US, tuna exports increased by  六 一 per cent, and octopus and squid increased by  六0 per cent. The US is also the largest market of Vietnamese tuna, accounting for  四 三 per cent of total export turnover to other markets.

For Japan, tuna exports also recovered with an increase of  八 五 per cent in July.

VASEP forecasts that shrimp exports are more positive in the US, China, and Japan markets in the last months of the year when inventories decrease, demand increases and shrimp quantity in India may drop by  二0- 三0 per cent due to the weather and falling prices.

With pangasius, the association predicts that exports will increase strongly in the last months, because export enterprises have caught up with the requirements of Chinese product quality safety regulations.

Export of tuna is also forecast to continue growing well in the second half of the year in the US and China markets. However, the EU market will be difficult to predict because it depends on the results of EU inspections at the end of October regarding the implementation of reco妹妹endations against IUU exploitation.

According to VASEP, in the next few months, businesses may continue to boost sales to this market. If there are positive results after the inspection, exports will improve.

Businesses can also boost sales to markets outside the EU. Exports are expected to maintain positive growth in the last months of the year. VNS