There is fierce competition among Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, etc as the major market of US is emerging as leading one. At the Workshop on opportunities for EU market access and expansion for Vietnam exported products held in Hai Phong on 2nd November, 2010, Nguyen Hoai Nam – Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) presented the trends of three major markets for 2010 – 2015.
Japanese market has been declined for a long time but remained the high consumption levels at 65 kg per person per year and will increase food safety control (inspection criteria and frequency). Japan’s import demand for shrimp has stabled for 3 years and it is expected to continue keeping this level in next 2 – 3 years at 190,000 – 200,000 MT per year.
The U.S. market went down in 2008 -2009, but the purchasing power increased again in 2010; consumption per capita has increased by 24 kg per person per year. Therefore, the U.S. market has grown for a long time and soon become the leading market. The U.S. also strengthens the control over food safety, labeling, traceability, protection of domestic production and more voluntary certification. The demand of shrimp ranks the first in the world with 555,000 – 570,000 MT per year. Vietnam is the 5th largest supplier of shrimp to this market with 40,000 – 43,000 MT per year and had signs of decline in late 2009.
For EU market the consumption is stable at around 21 kg per person per year, imported seafood increases (pangasius from Vietnam, oyster from Chile…). EU boosts the control over food safety, labeling, traceability, protection of domestic production, and more voluntary certifications. EU is the 2nd largest importer of shrimp in the world with 465,000 – 475,000 MT per year and quite stable.
