August 1, 2013

According to the General Administration of Customs, the country's seafood export in the first half of 2013 reached US$2.89 billion compared to the same period in 2012. The figure represents a slight increase of 0.3%, which has led to shrimp export value reaching US$1.1 billion. This is the strongest growth in the value structure of seafood at 8.6%, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) reports.

Currently, in most major markets, while the volume of shrimp imports increased, price has also been on a continual increase. One of the main causes of lack of supply from Thailand, the largest producing country in the world. In the first two quarters of this year, early mortality syndrome and adverse weather conditions have crippled shrimp production in the country.

Meanwhile, several countries, such as China, Thailand, Ecuador, Vietnam, India and Indonesia, have increased the production and export of vannamei, or white leg shrimp. In particular, Indian white shrimp export value in the fiscal year of 2012-13 have doubled.

For now, the export rate of white shrimp in the shrimp export structure of Vietnam accounted for approximately 41.3%, prawns at 50.8%, and shrimps of all kinds at 7.9%. In the first six months, white shrimp export value also fell 19.5% in February. The remaining months see an increase of 71.5% from 5.8% over the same period last year.

Despite growth in four months, as pangasius export value increased from 1.8% to 40.7% over the same period last year, export value decreased slightly by 0.5% at US$849.5 million, for the whole six months of 2013.

On May 5, 2013, the EU overtook the US to become the largest import market of Vietnamese pangasius despite anti-dumping duties imposed by the Union.

During the first six months of 2013, shipments to the EU accounted for 23% of Vietnam's fish exports.