Why Is Litopenaeus Vannamei So Popular in China?

Why is Litopenaeus vannamei so popular in China?

The mood at this year's Asian Seafood Show in Hong Kong was unusually commercial, with demand for Ecuadorian white shrimp in China running wild. One Chinese buyer surprised everyone by ordering 20 containers of white shrimp (about 24 tonnes each) in 20 minutes. Not just whole shrimp, but shrimp in all kinds of packages, from 2kg, 1kg to 700g, Chinese buyers are on a buying spree, adapting to a variety of different channels, from distribution to retail or e-commerce.

Overall trade figures for this year are not yet available, but Chinese imports of Ecuadorian prawns are expected to hit a record high.

The cultured output of Litopenaeus vannamei in China is 730,000 tons, while the annual demand in the domestic market should be between 1.5 million and 1.7 million tons, among which the gap between supply and demand creates opportunities for white shrimp import.

In 2016, China was importing 60,932 tonnes of frozen shrimp, worth $445m, according to the International Trade Centre.

Last year, despite the earthquake, Ecuador exported 362,000 tons of Litopenaeus Vannamei, or 14.7 percent of the world's total, valued at $2.56 billion.