Vietnam Customs released information that in 2010 Vietnam exported 1.353 million MT of seafood, worth nearly US$5.034 billion, up 11.3 percent in volume and 18.4 percent in value compared to 2009. In the past year, Vietnamese seafood was exported to 162 markets with participation of 969 exporters. The largest importer of Vietnamese seafood was France with 68 percent.
The U.S. was the leading importer with US$971 million, accounting for 19.3 percent of the total export value of Vietnamese seafood; followed by Japan with US$897 million, accounting for 17.8 percent, South Korea US$386 million, accounting for 7.7 percent, China and Hong Kong U$247 million, accounting for 4.9 percent, Germany US$210 million, representing 4.1 percent.
According to Vietnam Customs the main exported items were shrimp (US$2.106 billion, accounting for 42 percent), pangasius (US$1.44 billion, accounting for 28.4 percent), mollusk (US$488.8 million, accounting for 9.7 percent) and tuna (US$293 million, accounting for 5.8 percent).
For the first time, Vietnamese shrimp export surpassed US$2 billion (241.000 MT), up 13.4 percent in volume and 24.4 percent in value from 209,567 MT (US$1.675 billion) in 2009. Pangasius export in 2010 reached 659,000 MT, worth about US$1.427 billion, up 7.4 percent in volume and 5.2 percent in value compared to 2009, ranking the second in value after the shrimp. In 2010, Vietnam had 290 pangasius exporters, shipping to 140 markets.
