US remains leading importer of Vietnamese seafood
(VOV) - Vietnam’s seafood exports in September are estimated at US$558 million, raising the nine-month figure to US$4.61 billion, up 3% against the same period last year.
The US topped the list of seafood importers, accounting for 21.6% of the total volume with shipments to this market in the first eight months increasing by 10.6% to more than US$873.7 million.
Exports to China, Canada and Thailand in the reviewed period also grew significantly by 53%, 13.8% and 13% from a year earlier.
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According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP), shrimp exports are back on track at a growth rate of 38%. They hit a record high of US$335 million in August alone, up 65.5% compared to the same month of last year.
Due to inadequate supplies of prawn, the export of white-legged shrimp will pick up in the coming months.
It is expected that Vietnam will earn US$2.5-2.6 billion from total shrimp exports this year, up 12-16% against 2012.
Meanwhile, exports of tra fish, tuna and other seafood products tend to decline sharply by 14%, 25% and 10.7%, respectively.
VASEP forecast that it is difficult for these products to increase this year due to unstable supplies of input materials and shrinking markets in the world.