In spite of great difficulties Vietnam shrimp exports has touched a remarkable mark of USD 2 billion in the first nine months of 2011. In the past nine months, shrimp exports reached US$1.69 billion, up 18.5 percent from that of the same period last year. In which, black tiger shrimp exports achieved over US$1 billion, representing 59 percent of the total shrimp export value and whiteleg shrimp exports reached nearly US$477 million, accounting 28 percent.
In the period of Jan-Sep 2011, Vietnam shrimp was exported to other markets apart from three main traditional markets (the U.S., Japan and EU). In the period of Jan-Sep 2010, shrimp export value to these three markets made up more than 71 percent of the total shrimp export value but this year, this figure reduced to 65 percent.
During the period of 2011, Vietnam shrimp exports confronted with a lot of obstacles. Firstly, earthquake and tsunami in Japan at March led to the reduction in Vietnam shrimp exports to the market due to weak consumption. US has become the top importer of Vietnam shrimp beating Japan. The problem of shortage of raw material becomes usual to Vietnam shrimp processors and exporters but in 2011 the problem is worse more than ever before.
According to the report of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), until the end of quarter 3/2011; 81,000 hectares of shrimp farming area was lost in which Soc Trang province was hit the worst with over 28,000 hectares. Many domestic shrimp processing plants only operated at 40 – 50 percent of their capacity and must compete with Chinese dealers to purchase raw material at their localities.
