Vietnam 1H shrimp exports up 1.8 percent

Vietnam exported 72,288 tonnes of shrimp in the first half of 2009, up 1.8 percent on-year in volume, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Despite the increase of volume, export turnover decreased 4.7 percent to US$589.2 million, the association said.

Vietnam's shrimp exports picked up in June after seeing a decline in demand from its key markets of US and the EU in early 2009, but demand in that two markets surged in later months, contributing to the growth in export volume, the association said.

In June alone, Vietnam exported 18,982 tonnes of shrimp valued at US$148 million, up 13.5 percent in volume and up 3.9 percent in value from the same period last year.

Vietnam's shrimp exports to European countries in June increased 65 percent in volume to 3,728 tonnes and rose 48.6 percent in value to US$24.4 million over the same period last year.

In the first six months of 2009, Vietnam exported 15,191 tonnes of shrimp to the US, up 18.3 percent on-year. Export value also increased 2.1 percent to US$147.3 million.