Vietnamese crab exports up 9.8% in January-May

Vietnamese crab exports in May 2016 hit US$8.3 million, up 1.6% year-on-year, data from Vietnam Customs showed. Total revenue from exports during the five-month period January-May reached $40.2 million, up 9.8% year-on-year.

 

From January to May, Vietnam crab was exported to 31 markets, with the top eight markets identified as the US, Japan, EU, China & Hong Kong, Asean, Australia, Canada and Taiwan. Of these, Japan, China and Canada reported surges in import growth rates.

 

Sales of live/fresh/frozen/dried/salted crabs increased while exports of other processed crabs declined. The sales of live/fresh/frozen/dried/salted crabs in January-May reached $18.7 million, up 33.4% year-on-year. Canned crab exports racked up $17.6 million, up 10.6% year-on-year while other processed crabs were down 42% year-on-year.

 

US market

 

In May, Vietnamese crabs exported to the US reached nearly $2 million, down 37.5% year-on-year. Exports through May hit $14.7 million, down 6.6% year-on-year. Canned crabs exported to the US increased 11% valued at $9.2 million while other processed crabs declined.

 

Japan

 

Japan overtook the EU to place second among the top 8 largest importers of Vietnamese crab. In May, Vietnamese crab exports to Japan reached $2.8 million, up 55.5% year-on-year. In the five months through May, the figure touched US$7.9 million, up 16.1% year-on-year.

 

Japan increased importation of live/fresh/frozen/dried/salted crabs from Vietnam in January-May while it reduced imports of processed and canned crab products.

 

EU

 

Vietnamese crab exports to EU in May reached $1.6 million, down 6.6% year-on-year. In the first five months, sales to this market were down 2.9% to $7.35 million.

 

In the EU bloc, France, the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium remained the leading importers of Vietnamese crab.

 

Imports of canned crab products increased 8.8% to $6.2 million in value, and these accounted for the largest share of Vietnam's total crab exports to EU. EU reduced importation of live/fresh/frozen/dried/salted crabs from Vietnam.

 

It is forecast that Vietnam crab exports in June 2016 will continue to climb.