From January to June 2020, companies from Central American countries exported frozen shrimp and prawns for $60 million, and sales to the United Kingdom grew by 36% compared to the same period in 2019.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Area of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Because in today's business reality many people prefer to spend more time at home and cook their own food, the demand for easy-to-prepare processed seafood has grown.
At a global level, changes in consumer behavior have been reported, because of the quarantines decreed in several countries of the world by the outbreak of covid-19, people's habits, tastes and preferences have been changing.
Camanica Zona Franca S.A., Agromania Rio Morote S.A. and Premezclas Latinoamericanas S.A., are part of the companies that in 2019 participated in the business of importing shrimp feed in the region.
The market study "Food for Shrimp in Central America", prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, details the main figures of the shrimp food import business and exports of the seafood in question.
During the first month of the year, Nicaraguan seafood exports totaled $16.7 million, 19% less than what was reported in the same month in 2019, a situation explained by the decline in demand from Asia and the U.S., important destinations for this sector.
According to data from the Center for Export Processing (Cetrex), between January 2019 and the same month of 2020 exports of seafood products recorded a fall of $ 4 million, from $ 16.7 million to $ 20.7 million.
In the first nine months of last year, Central American countries exported frozen shrimp and prawns for $321 million, 17% more than in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
In the first half of the year, Central American countries exported frozen shrimp and prawns for $207 million, 53% more than during the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the frozen shrimp and prawns market in Central America complied by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
In the first quarter of the year, companies in the country exported $32 million worth of frozen shrimp and langoustine, registering a 64% increase with respect to exports in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on theFrozen Shrimp and Langoustine Market in Nicaragua, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
In the first quarter of the year, Central American countries exported $90 million worth of frozen shrimp and langoustine, which is 76% more than in the same period in 2017, mainly due to sales to the US and Taiwan.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Frozen Shrimp and Langoustine in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
After the country registered sales for $282 million in 2017, the sector's union expects this year to surpass what was reported in the previous period by 2%.
Explained by the good performance in exports of cultivated shrimp, crab and live lobster, during the first three months of the year, the Nicaraguan Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Inpesca) expects the sector to register an increase compared to 2017.
Between January and March, sales abroad totaled $16 million, which is equivalent to an 86% increase with respect to exports registered in the same period in 2017.
The increase registered during the first months of the year is explained by an increase in the volume sold coupled with an increase in the average price, which rose from $4.1 per kilogram recorded in the first quarter of 2017, to $6 per kg reported in the same 2018 period.
In 2017, the value of Central American sales of fish, molluscs and crustaceans to companies in Mexico amounted to $69 million, 19% more than was exported in 2016.
Figures from the information system on the the Market for Fish, Molluscs and Crustaceans in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
Between January and September of 2017, Central American countries exported $275 million worth of frozen shrimp and langoustine, 22% more than in the same period in 2016.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Shrimp and Frozen Langoustine in CentralAmerica compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graph"]
In 2016 Central American countries exported $344 million worth of shrimp and frozen langoustine, 7% more than in 2015.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Shrimp and Frozen Langoustine in Central America compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [Figure caption = "Click to interact with graphics"]
Between January and September 2016 Central American countries exported 29 thousand tons of frozen shrimp and prawn to countries outside of the region, equivalent to $204 million.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Frozen Shrimp and Shrimp in Central America compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [Figure caption = "Click to interact with graphics"]
In the first ten months of the year foreign sales of seafood products fell, except for shellfish and shrimp, which are growing at double digits.
Statistics from the Center for Export Procedures (CETREX) show that foreign sales of seafood grew by 19% compared to the first ten months of 2015, while exports of sea shrimp, recorded an increase of almost 13%.