January 29, 2013

Vietnam sees 3.4% drop for tra fish exports in 2012
 

Vietnam's pangasius exports have concluded at US$1.74 billion in 2012, a 3.4% drop from 2011, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
 
Pangasius shipments to the EU and the US made up 47.5% of the total fish exports in 2011 but fell to 45% in 2012.
 
EU imports of tra fish hit US$425.8 million, taking a 19.1%-dive on-year. EU imports of some white fish species from other producing countries also skid last year.
 
In 2012, the US bought US$358.8 million worth of Vietnamese catfish products, up 8.2% from 2011. Between January-August 2012, shipments saw two-digit growth, but this faltered in the last four months of the year, and demand for pangasius has still shown no sign of improving in light of the high fish inventory.
 
According to the US Department of Commerce (DOC) and Census Bureau, pangasius imports in November dropped by 18.2% over November 2011, from US$20.1 million in November 2011 down to US$16.4 million last November.

However, the year-to-date volume of pangasius in the first 11 months of the last year climbed to 21%.
 
Tra exports to Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Australia dropped slightly in value.