NEWS
In the first quarter of 2012, Vietnam tuna export gained US$130 million, showing rise of 24.7 percent compared to the same period last year. Exports to most key markets got double or triple digit growth. Only the U.S. reported 0.3 percent drop against the first quarter of 2011. Since 2009, Vietnam tuna export in the first quarter has kept growth in value. From January to March 2012, tuna reached the largest revenue which was 4 times higher than that of the first quarter of 2009.
Source: Vasep
Amid current headwinds of global economies, particularly Vietnam’s three main markets such as the U.S., Japan, and EU, a major economy in Asia like South Korea which has high demand in seafood will become an attractive destination for Vienam seafood. In 2011, South Korea was the fourth largest importer of Vietnam seafood in export value, accounting for 7.8 percent of total Vietnam seafood export value after EU, the U.S. and Japan. Three main seafood items of Vietnam exported to South Korea were cephalopods, shrimp and other finfish in which cephalopods made up 35.5 percent of total export value, shrimp with 33 percent and other finfish with 29 percent. Although Vietnam shrimp is not Korean people’s the most favourite seafood item, Vietnam shrimp exports to the market have reported a high and stable growth in recent years. Shrimp exports increased from US$81 million (in 2007) to US$157 million (in 2011). When whiteleg shrimp wasn’t officially allowed to farm in Vietnam, black tiger shrimp was the main shrimp species exported to South Korea. Since whiteleg shrimp has been produced comercially in Vietnam, the species exports to the market keep increasing. In 2011, whiteleg shrimp exports to South Korea touched US$75.8 million, making up 48 percent of total shrimp export value to the market. Black tiger shrimp exports to the market remained its proportion of 38 – 39 percent. While many barriers in many major importing markets are exposing to Vietnam shrimp, many Vietnam shrimp exporters are planning to strengthen shrimp exports to South Korea. This is an attractive market of Vietnam shrimp due to stable consumption demand. According to International Trade Centre (ITC), Vietnam is not ranked in top 10 largest shrimp suppliers for South Korea but importing shrimp from Vietnam into the country is in uptrend. In 2010, Vietnam raw shrimp imports into the market rose by 142 percent from that of 2009, leading an increase in Vietnam’s market share from 0.4 percent to 0.8 percent while market share of some major markets such as the U.S., Japan, Spain, France or Italy grew only from 10 – 18 percent per annum. 2012 marks the 20 year diplomatic relation between Vietnam and South Korea. Recently, in an official visit of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Vietnamese senior delegation to South Korea, both two countries has agreed to complete soon US$20 billion target of bilateral trade turnover prior to 2015 and reach US$30 billion target. Two countries approved to continue to corporate for balance and expansion in bilateral trade ties. In order to boost economic cooperation for mutual benefits, two countries will kick off negotiations on bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Accordingly, South Korea will consider Vietnam’s suggestions and facilitate Vietnam goods exported to South Korea.
Source: Vasep
In March 2012, Vietnam earned US$161 million of pangasius export, a rise of 4.9 percent compared to the same month last year. Colombia recorded the highest growth of 130 percent, followed by China and Hong Kong with nearly 69 percent. In the first quarter of 2012, pangaius shipments reached US$425 million, showing an average rise of 13 percent.
Source: Vasep
In January 2012, tuna export of Vietnam decreased 12.4 percent in value against the same month last year. The U.S and Lebanon saw sharp drop of 34 percent and 44 percent, respectively. In contrast, Tunisia and Sudan got triple-digit growth of 521.9 percent and 356.6 percent from a year ago.
Source: Vasep
Out of 130 countries and territories importing Vietnam pangasius, Spain is one of 5 largest single importers as well as the largest market of Vietnam pangasius in EU block. However, in the first two weeks of January 2012, Vietnam pangasius exports to Spain continued to decline and showed no upward trend in the upcoming months this year. From the beginning to January 15th 2012, Vietnam pangasius shipment to Spain reached 4.5 million MT, 5.3 percent lower than that of the same period of 2011. However, Vietnam pangasius export value to EU reached US$21.7 million, up 8 percent over that of the same period of 2011. EU is a main importer of Vietnam seafood. EU’s members are not only the most prosperous in the world but also consume nearly 47 percent of total frozen pangasius fillet imports worldwide in which Germany, France, the U.K and Spain are the largest importers. In the past 6 months, the wholesale price of some white meat fish such as frozen hake, cod in Spain was stable.Since August 2011 to January 2012, frozen hake was quoted at EUR2 to EUR7 per kilogram (variation to each type), hake rings were quoted at EUR5 per kilogram while in fresh form, the price of these white meat species fluctuated drastically. Spanish people tend to consume frozen fish more than fresh and live fish and they like to buy fish at the supermarkets and big supermarkets rather than at traditional fish markets. In trend of seafood consumption, they like shrimp, squid, cod, and tuna most. Spanish people’s demand of high quality seafood products and imported value-added seafood products is high but they have to consider buying products with a reasonable price amid economic recession in Spain as well as EU.
In January 2012, Vietnam reached US$116 million of pangasius export, down 16 percent from the same month of 2011. All key markets in the EU decreased their import this month, causing a drop of 35.8 percent. However, some markets like Colombia, Russia and Brazil reported great growth of more or less than 28 percent.
Source: Vasep
In January 2012, Vietnam shrimp exports fell by 18.7 percent from the same period of 2011. Export of shrimp to most important markets saw drop in value; but some markets in Asia kept stable growth. Malaysia reached the highest growth of 455.6 percent, followed
Source: Vasep
At the beginning of 2011, a severe flood happened in southern Thailand (the main shrimp farming area of the country) leading to lower shrimp production of 10 percent. Some months later, Thailand continued to be hit by record flooding happening from the late July 2011 and lasting many months after that. Although this is not shrimp farming area but transportation and logistics services were badly affected. According to statistics of Thailand Customs, in 2011, shrimp exports in all varieties of the country reached over 382,055 MT, worth THB107,978 million (US$3.23 billion), reducing by 40,329 MT on that of 2010 but the export value was up 7.6 percent. In 2011, Thailand shrimp exports to the U.S. (the largest importer) also witnessed a decrease. The statistics of the U.S. Customs indicated that Thailand shrimp imports into the U.S. in 2011 achieved 185,132 MT, down 8.3 percent on that of 2010. In the structure of Thailand shrimp exports, raw shrimp (HS 0306 code) and processed shrimp (HS 1605 code) have an equal proportion. In 2011, raw shrimp shipment of Thailand reached 191,267 MT, valued at THB50,180 million (US$1.5 billion) while processed shrimp exports reached 190,788 MT, worth THB57,797 million (US$1.73 billion). At the early 2012, it is forecasted that Thailand shrimp exports this year is positive in spite of concern on epidemic outbreak after floods and trade barriers of the world markets.
Source: Vasep
From the middle of 2009 up to now, the U.S. has surpassed EU to become the largest export market for Vietnam tuna. According to General Department of Viet Nam Customs, export value of Vietnam tuna to the U.S. last year reached US$171.37 million, representing a 31.8 percent increase against 2010. The U.S. was the only market remaining two digit growth in importing Vietnam tuna in 2011.According to statistics, in the period from 2006 to the end of October 2011, tuna export price of Vietnam was on uptrend. In the first 10 months of 2011, Vietnam tuna price to the U.S. rose by 40 – 60 percent compared to the same period of 2010. Since 2011, Vietnam has switched to export frozen, chilled, fillet tuna products (HS 03 code) (mainly skipjack and yellow fin tuna) instead of shipping canned tuna products (HS16 code). The export value of tuna products (HS 03 code) made up over 70 percent of tuna export value of Vietnam to the U.S. during 2011. Thank to the higher price, Vietnam tuna export value to the U.S increased, however export volume to the market in 2011 fell slightly against 2010. Meanwhile Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Ecuador also switched to export high-value tuna products to the U.S. In recent years, Vietnam ranked the fifth in the world after Ecuador in tuna export value to the U.S. However, since the late October 2011, Vietnam has outstripped Ecuador to become the fourth largest tuna supplier to the U.S. Although Vietnam tuna export volume to the U.S. reduced slightly, Vietnam tuna exporters made progress in exporting tuna products to the market. In the long term, if exporters improve the quality of tuna products and food safety and hygiene, they will enlarge their share in the market.
Source: Vasep
