BANGKOK, 13 September 2013 Thailand still dominates the market of shrimp imports in the U.S. at 18% although this year’s volume has decreased by over 190,000 tons compared to the same period last year.
Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade Pranee Siriphan said the U.S. imported most shrimps from Thailand in the first half of 2013 at over 410,000 tons, valued at 11.5 billion baht. Thailand’s overall shrimp export situation did not change much after the U.S. imposed Countervailing Duties (CVDs) at the beginning of this year. However, this measure has resulted in Thailand’s lower shrimp export volume to the U.S. in the first half of the year.
Moreover, the U.S. reportedly imported more shrimps from Indonesia, Ecuador and India whose share in the U.S. shrimp import market significantly rose in 2012, Ms Pranee indicated. She pointed out that U.S. consumers’ concerns over labor problems in Thailand might make them turn to shrimps from India and Indonesia.
Thailand exports 425,000 tons of shrimps per year on average, with a value of 150 billion baht. Almost 40% of them, worth 50 billion baht, are exported to the U.S.
