Shrimp exports to Japan show recovery signs

Shrimp exports to Japan show recovery signs

In the second quarter of 2013, shrimp exports to Japan hit US$186.4 million, registering an increase of 14.9 percent from that of the same period of 2012, driving shrimp exports to the market in H1 to US$293.9 million, up 6.6 percent from H1 of 2012.
Update: (8/20/2013)

In 2012, shrimp shipment toJapanwitnessed a decline in many consecutive months due toJapan’s Ethoxyquin test on shrimp imports fromVietnam. Total shrimp exports fromVietnamto the market in 2012 therefore reached US$617.7 million, up only 1.7 percent from 2011.

Thanks to the efforts of competent authorities and enterprise communities in strengthening antibiotics and banned chemicals control in shrimp production and processing,Vietnamshrimp exports toJapanhave been gaining gradual improvements expressed by the growth in exports from 0.7 to 19.6 percent during this year.

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) decided to raise MRL of Trifluralin from 0.001ppm to 0.5 ppm, which encouragedVietnam’s shrimp exporters to boost shrimp exports to the market.

Vietnamranked the second, behindThailand, in terms of supplying shrimp forJapan, occupying 18.7 percent of total shrimp supply for this market. In the first 5 months of 2013, shrimp imports intoJapanfromThailandsank of 12.2 percent. In the early 2013,Thailandexporters planned to boost shrimp exports toJapanto compensate the decline in shrimp imports fromVietnamandIndiacaused by Ethoxyquin test. However,Thailandexporters’ efforts were obstructed by disease outbreaks on shrimp that slashed the country’s shrimp production.

In the first 5 months of 2013,Indiawas the only supplier out of top 5 largest shrimp suppliers forJapanthat had the growth of 7.9 percent in shrimp exports to this market.

(from VASEP)