US shrimp imports shriveled in June, continuing trend

India, Ecuador, and Indonesia maintained the spots as the three leading shrimp exporters to the U.S. in NOAA's recent update, covering June 2023.

The United States imported a total of 136 million pounds, or 61,816 metric tons (MT) of shrimp in June 2023, down from 169 million pounds (76,848 MT) in June 2022. Year-to-date, U.S. imports are at 360,426 MT, down from 439,232 MT in 2022.

India, remaining the largest exporter of shrimp to the U.S., sent 51 million pounds (23,274 MT) of shrimp to the U.S. in June 2023, down from 69 million pounds (31,547 MT) in June 2022. 

Ecuador, the second-largest exporter, sent 37 million pounds (17,045 MT) of shrimp to the U.S. in June 2023, down from 43 million pounds (19,614 MT)  in June 2022. 

Indonesia exported 22 million pounds (10,093 MT) of shrimp to the U.S. in June 2023, a slight drop from June 2022, when it exported 23 million pounds (10,486 MT). Its year-to-date total as of June is 74,372 MT, down from 95,903 MT in 2022.

Out of the top 10 shrimp exporters to the U.S. in June 2023, Vietnam continued to hold fourth place with 12 million pounds (5,518 MT), down from its June 2022 total of 15.7 million pounds (7,158 MT); Thailand was fifth place, sending 4 million pounds (2,176 MT), down from 6.9 million pounds (3,152 MT) in June 2022; Argentina was sixth, exporting 2.3 million pounds (1,083 MT), also less than it sent in June 2022 at 3.1 million pounds, (1,414 MT); Mexico was seventh, sending 1.6 million pounds (742 MT); Canada was eighth, shipping 105,000 pounds (477 MT); China was ninth with 850,000 pounds (387 MT); and Peru rounded out the top 10, sending 579,000 pounds (263 MT).

Photo courtesy of Phensri Ngamsommitr/Shutterstock