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Crab Market Report - February 2008
Weak dollar boosts European crab imports from developing countries
The weak dollar helped to boost crab imports in European markets during 2007.
Preliminary figures point to increased volumes in the French, Spanish and
Italian markets compared to 2006. The currency effect contributed to a shift
from chilled imports, which are dominated by European suppliers, to frozen
imports, which are increasingly supplied by non European producers.
Final figures for 2007 should confirm France as Europe’s top crab import market in a year which saw
French imports increase following a negative trend in recent years. French
volume imports for the January – November period increased by 13% (+19% for
values) on the corresponding period of 2006. The Spanish volume increase was
stronger at 16% (10 months) while Italian imports were up 14% on the same
period the previous year.
Increase in French frozen and processed crab imports
The increase in French imports during 2007 is due largely to stronger frozen
(+33%) and processed (+17%) deliveries. Chilled (including live) imports are,
in contrast, down slightly on corresponding 2006 levels. These changes
confirm a recent trend involving a switch from chilled to frozen imports. In
2004, chilled product accounted for over half of total crab imports, falling
to less than 50% in 2005 and to 45% in 2006. Full year figures for 2007 are
likely to show a chilled share of around 40% or lower.
The declining chilled share reflects falling live crab sales to France from the
UK
and Ireland,
the two leading suppliers of this product. In contrast, frozen sales from
both countries have been increasing since 2004, with the exception of a 19%
volume decline from Ireland
last year. Also up in frozen sales to the France were
volumes from both Norway,
doubling last year to almost 800 tonnes, and the Russian Federation.
In the preserved segment which includes crab in cans, pouches and jars,
French imports increased by 17% to over 4 100 tonnes for the eleven month
period last year. The value increase was significantly less at just 4%
suggesting a volume boost based on cheaper euro import prices. Vietnam remains
the leading supplier following a 16% increase although with its share of
imports stable at between 37 and 38%. The strongest increase was from Thailand, French
imports increasing by 50% to 1 200 tonnes. The Thai share has increased over
the 2006 – 2007 period from 23 to 29%.
Portugal
and Uruguay
increase sales to Spain
Spanish crab imports during 2007 followed the French shift towards frozen as
against chilled product. For the ten month period, the frozen share of total
imports increased from 36% in 2006 to almost 46% last year. The corresponding
fall in the chilled share was a drop from 62 to 53%. The stronger frozen
share reflected an almost 50% jump in volumes from just under 4 000 tonnes to
5 800 tonnes. This increase was based on a quadrupling of sales from Portugal to 1 300
tonnes and a 29% increase from the UK. This
latter increase allowed the UK to
maintain its position as number one supplier to Spain although
its share of frozen imports fell from 31 to 28%. There was also a significant
increase in sales from Uruguay, up 41%
to over 700 tonnes.
China
top frozen supplier to Italy
In contrast to trends in both France and Spain, Italian
chilled crab imports increased, in volume and value terms, last year. For the
first ten months of the year, Italian imports rose by 7% compared with the
same period in 2006. However, with frozen imports rising faster at 27%, the
frozen share of imports increased at the expense of chilled.
Within the frozen category, the most striking increase was recorded for China which
saw sales to Italy
increase five fold to over 250 tonnes. This increase pushed China into the
number one supplier position for frozen crab with its share jumping from 7%
in 2006 to 31% last year.
Positive outlook for euro crab markets
The prospect of a weak dollar, at least for the remainder of the current
year, points to a continuation of the positive trend for frozen and processed
crab imports in euro markets. These markets are likely to continue to attract
imports from countries such as China, the Russian Federation,
Uruguay
and Vietnam
which saw significant increases in sales to European markets during 2007.
Report prepared by Gerry
O'Sullivan (GLOBEFISH)
© FAO GLOBEFISH 2008
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