In 2014, Japanese imports of raw frozen and processed/value-added shrimp declined by 25 000 tonnes (-13.3%) and 13 300 tonnes (-20%) respectively against the same period last year . Compared with 2013, imports were lower from the top five exporting countries, including Viet Nam, Thailand, India, Indonesia and China. Japan increased imports of cheaper cold water shrimp from Argentina, Russia and Greenland. Imports of cooked/frozen coldwater shrimp also increased from Canada and Greenland by 50%, totaling 1 000 tonnes.
In terms of processed shrimp, Thailand remained the lead supplier to Japan even with reduced exports, while exports from Viet Nam were stable. Supplies of value-added shrimp to the Japanese market also declined from China and Indonesia.
2015 began with a significant decline in Japanese shrimp imports. Supplies of both raw and processed shrimp were significantly lower in January 2015 compared with a year earlier; indeed, total shrimp imports declined by almost 24% compared with the same month last year.
Imports of both tropical farmed shrimp and coldwater shrimp were at a four-year low. Raw frozen shrimp imports (shell-on and peeled), fell by 30% at 11 000 tonnes compared with 16 000 tonnes in January 2014. Even supplies of the popular Argentinean shrimp were 63% lower than a year ago. In terms of other suppliers, exports dropped from Viet Nam by 11%, from Thailand by 20%, from China by 35% and India by 25%. This trend is quite alarming as it occurred during the month when prices, particularly for farmed vannamei, were reasonably low and the local stocks in Japan needed to be replenished for the high consumption season in April/May.
Even with lower supplies, Thailand was the top exporter of processed/value-added shrimp in the Japanese market due to the market preference. Indonesia was the only source that managed to sell more processed shrimp (particularly cooked frozen products) during this period.