Mekong Delta provinces shrimp exports to EU market skyrocket in Q1

The shrimp exports of province in the Mekong Delta region have witnessed robust growth to the European market during the early months of the year, according to figures released by the Department of Industry and Trade of the Mekong Delta provinces.

This comes as Ca Mau province topped the list of local regions exporting shrimp products, with export turnover in the first quarter of the year enjoying a year-on-year increase of 6% to US$163 million, equal to 15% of the set plan.

Furthermore, shrimp exports from Bac Lieu province rose by 8% throughout the reviewed period to US$163 million, equaling 18% of the set plan, with frozen shrimps climbing by over 8% to US$160 million compared to the same period from last year.

Similarly, a number of major Mekong Delta localities such as Soc Trang and Kien Giang have also witnessed positive growth in terms of shrimp exports.

Moreover, the export turnover of provinces within the Mekong Delta region during the three-month period experienced an upward trajectory in comparison with the same period from last year due to advantages gained by the country signing several free trade agreements (FTAs) with partners globally, according to the Department of Industry and Trade for these provinces.

The signing of several FTAs has contributed to boosting Ca Mau’s shrimp exports to the EU market, Canada, Australia, and Switzerland, with rises of 154%, 15%, 41%, and 568%, respectively.

Alongside robust export growth, the price of raw shrimp remains relatively high. March alone saw black tiger shrimp traded at between VND210,000 and VND220,000 per kilo, while white-leg shrimp was sold at between VND103,000 and VND113,000 per kilo, according to statistics compiled by Ca Mau province.