Vietnams seafood production rises in third quarter

Vietnam is expected to produce 2.26 million metric tons (MT) of seafood in the third quarter, up 1.4 percent from a year earlier, according to newly-published data from the General Statistics Office.

The total output from aquaculture in the quarter is estimated at 1.24 million MT, increasing slightly 0.9 percent year-on-year. The segment output is expected to be comprised of 815,400 MT of fish, down 1.2 percent, and 293,600 MT of shrimp, up by 6.1 percent year-on-year.

The production of wild-catch fisheries output from July to September is estimated at 1.02 million MT, 2 percent higher year-on-year.

From January to September this year, Vietnam is expected to produce 6.13 million MT of seafood, up 1.6 percent compared with the same period last year, including 4.42 million MT of fish, up 0.9 percent; 769,400 MT of shrimp, up 5 percent year-on-year; and other species 938,200 MT, 2.6 percent higher year-on-year.

The first nine months’ aquaculture production is estimated to go up 1.4 percent year-on-year to 3.22 million MT, including 2.23 million MT of fish, down 0.4 percent, and 640,900 MT of shrimp, up 5.8 percent. Of this, the output of farmed pangasius fell 6.1 percent year-on-year to estimated 1.03 million MT from January to September.

The GSO said pangasius exporters were finding it hard to boost shipments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material prices were low at between VND 17,500 and VND 18,500 (USD 0.75 to USD 0.8, EUR 0.65 to EUR 0.68) per kilogram, resulting in a loss of around VND 4,000 (USD 0.17, EUR 0.15) per kilogram for local farmers.

The farming of shrimp was also affected by adverse weather conditions, drought, and salt intrusion. It was estimated that as many as 36,600 hectares of shrimp farming areas in Vietnam were damaged in the first eight months of this year, soaring 2.1 times from the same period last year. However, production of both giant tiger shrimp and whiteleg shrimp increased in the first nine months as exports have grown in recent months.

From January through September, Vietnam is expected to produce 204,700 MT of giant tiger shrimp, 0.6 percent higher year-on-year, and 398,200 MT of whiteleg shrimp, surging 7.8 percent from a year ago.

The country’s wild-catch fisheries output climbed by 1.9 percent year-on-year to an estimated 2.91 million MT during January-September, including 2.2 million MT of fish, up 2.2 percent year-on-year; 128,500 MT of shrimp, up 1.3 percent.