Frozen shrimp brought in over 1.5 billion USD in 2009 and became the only seafood export staple that still managed to grow amid decreasing demands in the world due to the global crisis within the year.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the quantity of shrimp export this year is close to 190,000 tonnes, up 7 percent in volume and 1 percent in value.
Prawns remained the major staple among various types of exported shrimp, contributing over 75 percent of the total revenue from seafood. White-leg shrimp, however, has gradually become an important export staple. In 2009, Vietnam exported around 50,000 tonnes of white-leg shrimp, earning 300 million USD.
VASEP General Secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said Vietnam expects to gain 1.4 billion USD next year from seafood exports, of which prawns will remain the major export staple.
Export volume of white-leg shrimp is expected to triple to 150,000 tonnes next year, earning around 500 million USD.
Vietnamese shrimps have entered 82 markets in the world, of which ten leading importers account for over 80 percent of the export turnover, including Japan, the US, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, China, Germany, Australia, Canada, the UK and Belgium.
Hoe said Vietnamese shrimps exported to Japan are set to enjoy zero percent duty in the coming time and this would bring more opportunities to gain market share for local exporters./.