September 11, 2014

Vietnam's seafood imports nearly double

In the first eight months of 2014, Vietnam importedUS$720 million worth of seafood, up 73% year-on.

Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said India was the biggest supplier, accounting 33.5% of the total, followed by Taiwan with nearly 7% and China with 3.1%.

Customs records showed that in the past seven months, Vietnam's seafood imports from India reached over US$ 203 million. Vietnam's export to that country was less than US$8.5 million.

These seafood imports from India consisted mainlyof black tiger shrimpwhich Vietnamese processors neededto meet export orders.

Following an outbreak of the Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) disease in Vietnam and other parts of Asia, including Thailand, during the last two years, domestic shrimp supply tanked, leaving Vietnamese processors to look elsewhere for supply.

MARD data show a steep decline in black tiger shrimp output and cultivation area in the Mekong Delta region during the first eight months of 2014.

Vietnam's Bac Lieu area produced only 34,617 tonnes of black tiger shrimp from January to August this year, down 7.3% year-on. Ben Treonly yielded 6,244 tonnes during the same period, down 27.4% year-on.

Shrimp productions in Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria-Vung Tau fell nearly 7% each in volume from January to August 2014.