Vietnam’s shrimp export prices climb higher in the U.S. and China despite lower volumes

Although Vietnam’s shrimp export volume remained modest in February, the average export price exceeded USD 9 per kilogram, driven by strong demand from the U.S. and China.

Vietnam’s whiteleg shrimp exports dipped month-on-month in February, yet they still posted a year-on-year increase thanks to robust performance in key markets like the U.S. and China. Forecasts for March anticipate only a slow rebound, as new orders remain scarce and processors continue to grapple with pricing pressures amidst fierce competition from India and Ecuador.

Export volumes of whiteleg shrimp in February fell by 7% from January to 17,608 tons, but this was still 16% higher than the same month in 2024. The decline largely came from steep drops in shipments to China and Hong Kong (down 30%), the EU (down 17%), and the UK (down 19%). Gains in other markets were modest, with exports to the U.S. up 6%, Japan up 9%, and South Korea up 2%.

Most major processors resumed raw shrimp purchases after the Lunar New Year, maintaining demand levels similar to January.

Trade in small-size shrimp (100 pcs/kg) softened as Chinese buyers scaled back. To stabilize intake, factories raised prices for mid-size shrimp (20-40 pcs/kg), while prices for smaller shrimp sizes (50-100 pcs/kg) slipped compared to January.

Farm-gate prices for shrimp sized 20-40 pcs/kg increased by 1-3%, while smaller sizes saw prices drop by 5%.

In week 12 (March 17–23), U.S. import prices for whiteleg and black tiger shrimp remained mostly flat.

Vietnam’s black tiger shrimp exports to the U.S. hit 1,475 tons in February, a 21% decrease from January but still a 7% gain year-on-year. The average export price rose 14% to USD 12.77/kg.

Domestic sourcing of black tiger shrimp stayed sluggish due to off-season supply shortages and limited export contracts. Farmers’ delayed pond stocking at the end of 2024 led to lower availability of large-size shrimp in early 2025. To sustain operations, many processors increased buying prices for shrimp sizes 20-50 pcs/kg and size 80 pcs/kg, nudging prices up by 1-2%.

Exports to China saw a sharp price rise in February, up 9.1% to USD 7.2/kg, the highest since March 2023. However, volumes dropped to 1,637 tons, the lowest in a year.

In Japan, export prices climbed 5.6% to USD 9.5/kg, while South Korea saw prices edge up 5.3% to USD 8/kg.

Black tiger shrimp prices keep rising

China remained Vietnam’s top black tiger shrimp buyer in February, even as export volumes slipped.

Shipments to China fell to 353 tons, but prices jumped 14.1% to USD 10.5/kg, the highest in nearly a year.

Similarly, Japan imported 326 tons of Vietnamese black tiger shrimp, and prices surged 16.7% to USD 14.7/kg, the highest level since mid-2023.

The U.S. market saw modest volume gains in February to 162 tons, but export prices spiked 11% to USD 17.8/kg, reaching their highest in almost a year.

Exports to the EU posted a slight 3% price increase to USD 10.2/kg, the first rise since October 2024, though volumes halved to just 103 tons.

South Korea’s imports fell for the third straight month to 87 tons, and prices dipped 2.6% to USD 11.4/kg.

Source: https://vietfishmagazine.com/