U.S. shrimp imports in May 2024 surpassed 63,000 metric tons, marking a rise of 1,500 MT year over year.
For 2024 through May, the U.S. has brought in 654 million pounds (296,663 MT) of shrimp, just off the 658.3 million pounds (298,610 MT) recorded in the same time period of 2023. The gap narrowed with the May total of 140.6 million pounds (63,768 MT), up from 137.3 million pounds (62,263 MT) brought in in May 2023.
In April 2024, the U.S. imported 111 million pounds (50,672 MT) of shrimp, a decline from the 123 million pounds (56,000 MT) it imported in April 2023.
India increased its volume year over year in the month to 49.1 million pounds (22,271 MT), up from 48 million pounds (21,767 MT) in May 2023. Its year-to-date total for 2024 through May reached 243.8 million pounds (110,581 MT), above the 233.7 million pounds (105,984 MT) in the same period of 2023.
Ecuador closed the gap on India, exporting 42.2 million pounds (19,130 MT) to the U.S. in May 2024, a 15 percent increase on the 36.6 million MT (16,590 MT) it shipped in May 2023. Its year-to-date total hit 188.1 million pounds (85,324 MT), up from 180.1 million pounds (81,707 MT) recorded from January through May 2023.
Indonesia lost ground, as its U.S. shrimp exports declined to 25.9 million pounds (11,735 MT) in May 2024, down from 30.4 million pounds (13,793 MT) in May 2023. Thus far in 2024, its exports to the U.S. are down 17.5 percent to 116.9 million pounds (53,041 MT).
Vietnam increased its shrimp exports to the U.S. in May 2024 to 11.1 million pounds (5,030 MT), up from 10.2 million pounds (4,645 MT) in May 2023. Its year-to-date total reached 44.2 million pounds (20,061 MT), up 17.2 percent.
Thailand shipped 3.9 million pounds (1,753 MT) in May 2024, up from 3.7 million pounds (1,697 MT) in May 2023. However, its 2024 total remained down year over year at 17.7 million pounds (8,019 MT) between January and May, versus 18.4 million pounds (8,366 MT) in the same period of 2023.
Argentina was the only other country to export more than 1,000 MT of shrimp to the U.S., cresting 3 million pounds (1,361 MT) in May 2024, up slightly from the 2.9 million pounds (1,321 MT) it exported in May 2023.
On 5 July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it had conducted 36 seafood entry line refusals in June 2024, including ...
