Image: Revista Puerto / FIS

Official Data on Shrimp Landings and Exports

ARGENTINA
Thursday, May 23, 2024, 01:00 (GMT + 9)

The complete report prepared by the Fisheries Planning Directorate of the Undersecretariat of Aquatic Resources and Fisheries provides a detailed overview, individualizing the destinations, prices and volumes exported according to the type of product in interannual comparisons.

In the analysis of shrimp (Pleoticus Muelleri) landings in the last three years, it can be seen how the coastal fresh fleet has had one of its best years in 2023 with 72 thousand tons, when in the previous two years it had had landings of 65 thousand and 60 thousand tons. While the freezers have had one of their worst seasons in 2023 with 81 thousand tons, in previous years the landings were 87 thousand and 90 thousand tons. But it was not only the freezers that have decreased their participation in the catches, but also the deep-sea freshwater fleet, which recorded landings of 32 thousand tons, while in 2021 it had unloaded 58 thousand tons and in 2022 about 45 thousand tons.

Source: Stockfile FIS

When focusing on the current year's data, updated as of May 7 and establishing an interannual comparison, a drop in landings of 23% is observed for all fleets. In total, 46 thousand tons have been unloaded compared to 60 thousand in the same period in 2023.

Coastal ships have unloaded 29 thousand tons when in 2023 they carried 44 thousand tons, which represents a drop of 33%. In the bay-roads the decrease was 27%, going from almost 10 thousand tons to 7 thousand tons. In the high-altitude fresh vessels, the drop is 15%, registering landings this year of 2,700 tons when last year they had exceeded 3 thousand tons. Freezers, on the other hand, had a better start, going from 3 thousand tons in 2023 to 7 thousand this year, which is equivalent to an increase of 131%.

Source: Stockfile FIS -->

The analysis by port reflects, for the comparison of 2022 with 2023, that the only port that improved the volume of landings was Rawson, going from 76 thousand to 90 thousand tons, which is explained by the extraordinary shrimp season. The most important drop is observed in Puerto Madryn, which went from 76 thousand to 62 thousand tons.

In the interannual period until May 7, 2024, a decrease in Rawson landings of 31% is observed with 38 thousand tons compared to 55 thousand tons last year. In Puerto Madryn there was an increase of 70%, going from almost 2 thousand to more than 3 thousand tons. In Mar del Plata the increase was 56%, from 1,600 to 2,500 tons. The port of Ingeniero White had great movement: it went from 473 tons in 2023 to 1,300 tons so far in 2024, which represents an increase of 185%. In Puerto Deseado, with very small volumes, there was a 39% increase in landings, which went from 137 to 243 tons.

The analysis of the number of vessels that have unloaded shrimp in the last three years shows that during 2021 there were 405 vessels that recorded catches; In 2022 the number of ships fell to 380, with the greatest decrease occurring on the coasts; In 2023 the number of vessels with shrimp unloading was 320 and in the first five months of 2024 they have operated on the resource 228. This figure includes all vessels with some shrimp declaration.

Export volume and values

The report indicates that in 2023, world trade in shrimp and prawns was 3.64 million tons, with a drop of 2.6% year-on-year. Regarding Argentina, exports have increased in volume by 4% while revenue fell by 4% and the average price had a drop of 7% compared to 2022.

Source: Stockfile FIS

Whole shrimp were the ones that suffered the greatest declines in both exported volume and foreign exchange, in the order of 9% and 22% respectively, accompanied by a 14% drop in price. The product that marks these indices is the one marketed in containers greater than one kilo and less than 2 kilos; The average price was $5,449 per ton.

In the case of colas, the most marketed products are those in containers larger than one kilo and those that are exported in containers larger than two kilos. In the first case, an increase in export volume of 34% and in foreign currency of 28% has been observed with a drop in price of 4%, going from 7,881 dollars to 7,530 dollars per ton. In the second case, the increase was similar, 32% in volume and 28% in currency; In this case the price fell 3% and stood at $6,836 per ton.

Regarding peeled and deveined tails, the products with the highest level of marketing are those in containers of one kilo or less and those of more than two kilos. In the first case there was a drop in demand of 25% and in foreign currency of 18%, although they achieved a 10% higher value, standing at $12,741 per ton. For the second case, the drop in volume and collection was 22% with a price increase of 4%, trading at $10,211 per ton. The set of products derived from colas had an increase in demand of 27% and a 21% increase in foreign currency income with a 4% drop in price.

Source: Stockfile FIS

For the first quarter of 2024 compared to 2023, data from the Undersecretary of Fisheries show a drop in demand of 22% and in foreign currency income of 25% as a result of a 4% drop in price.

For whole shrimp in containers larger than one kilo and smaller than two kilos, sales volume was 7% lower than the same period last year and revenue was 9%, accompanied by a 2% drop in price. In total, 7,432 tons were exported at an average value of $5,142 per ton.

Regarding colas, its two main products also registered declines. In containers larger than one kilo, the drop in volume was 24% and in foreign currency it was 25% with a price 2% lower than last year, remaining at $7,244 per ton. In containers larger than two kilos, sales fell 34% and in income the drop was 38% accompanied by a 6% drop in price, selling for $6,531 per ton.

Source: Revista Puerto

Price evolution

The price analysis from 2014 to 2023 clearly shows how the whole shrimp has gone through a downward curve. While in the first year of the period it was sold at a value of $6,950, last year the value was $5,450. Only in 2021 did it manage to substantially improve its value when it was sold at an average price of $7,139 per ton, but since then the drop has been precipitous.

In the case of shrimp tails, at the beginning of the analysis period it was sold at $7,541 per ton, then it began to fall, registering in 2016 the lowest price of the entire period with $6,496 per ton. Since then the price has improved, reaching the best value in 2022 with $8,048 per ton, but it could not be maintained and in 2023 it was sold at $7,697 per ton.

Export destinations

<-- Source: KrustaGroup

The main countries that buy our shrimp without distinction of presentation are: Spain, which accounts for 32% of the production, followed by China, with 19%; Italy with 11%; Peru takes 7% and lastly are the United States and Japan, both with 6% of the total exported.

By differentiating by type of product, the importance of one market over another changes. The report presents this differentiation and makes an interannual comparison of the variations in demand between 2022 and 2023.

In the case of whole shrimp, the main market is Spain, which in the last year has reduced demand: while in 2022 it took 50% of the production, in 2023 that percentage was reduced to 44%. The second most important market is Italy, which in 2023 bought 15% of total exports, increasing its share by 7%. In third place is Japan and in fourth China, which in 2023 bought 14% and 13% of total exports respectively. In the first case, demand increased by 2% and in the second it fell by 3%. The best price was paid by Russia, which is in fifth place with 4% of sales; and the lowest price was for Japan.

Source: Estrella Patagónica -->

In the case of colas, the main market is China, which went from representing 17% of total exports to 24% in 2023; It is followed by Spain, which last year increased its demand, going from representing 19% to 21%, and in third place is Peru, which represents 12% of total exports. The United States, which is in fourth place, accounts for 10% of all production and due to the type of value-added product it requires, it is the one that pays the best price, in the order of 11 thousand dollars per ton. Far from the 8,127 dollars that Spain paid for the colas and much further from the 7,004 dollars per ton of the same product that China paid, this being the lowest price on the market.

Source: Revista Puerto (Translated from the original in Spanish)

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