It was a disappointing year for shrimp producers in Vietnam, as sales of approximately $3 billion amounted to a $1 billion decrease in receipts. Export prices, fluctuating exchange rates and higher input and logistics costs made Vietnamese whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) less competitive against Indian- and Indonesian-sourced white shrimp on the global market.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), shrimp disease outbreaks in major production areas along the Mekong River Delta region contributed to heavy losses. More than 40% of farmers in the Cau Ngang district of Tra Vinh Province reportedly lost money, while 11% or barely broke even and the rest eked out small profits.
Through the first 10 months of 2015 the nation’s shrimp exports, primarily in raw frozen form, fetched approximately $2.5 billion – down 26.7% year on year. Whiteleg shrimp accounted for 58.6% of the total at $1.4 billion, down 26.4% from the previous year. Black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) sales represented 33% of exports at $813.3 million, down 31.3%. The remaining 8.4% of exports was largely processed wild-caught shrimp.
Commercial shrimp farming in Vietnam encompasses more than 600,000 hectares of land. Exports go to 155 countries around the world, with the United States, Japan and the European Union ranked as the top markets. Shipments to the US during January through October accounted for 21.8% of total sales, earning $536.5 million (down 41% from previous year receipts during that period). Sales to customers in Japan during the first 10 months of 2015 hit $486.7 million (down 20.8%), while the EU bought shrimp valued at $466.5 million (down 19.7%).
