Fall in volume of imports breaks a ten year trend

For the first time in ten years, US shrimp imports fell in terms of volume. During 2007, imports amounted to 556 935.7 tonnes worth U$S 3 904.3 million, which represents a 5.7% and 5.1% reduction in terms of volume and value respectively, compared to the previous year. This trend was shown in almost all products, excepting peeled frozen shrimp and some sizes of frozen shell-on shrimp, which were the only products that grew in volume and value. As for the unit value of imports, it remained almost unchanged (+0.6%). Several factors have affected the shrimp market throughout 2007, the increase in oil prices that recently passed the US$ 100/barrel level, the slowdown of the economy, the reduction in consumer confidence, and the health issues with Chinese seafood, among others.

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