Brazil to start exporting shrimp to South Korea

Brazil is to start exporting shrimp to South Korea, with the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Tereza Cristina, informing that three plants have been qualified to export the crustacean to the Asian country. The opening of the market was facilitated by Brazil’s Agriculture and Livestock Confederation (CNA), which worked together with the Ministry of Agriculture.

In 2018, Brazilian shrimp exports amounted to US$2.8 million. In 2019, these exports grew 21.7%, reaching US$3.4 million. South Korea is an important market for the sector. Last year alone, it imported US$457 million from all over the world.  According to the CNA’s animal production coordinator, Lilian Figueiredo, although national shrimp production currently only supplies the domestic market, the sector already had plans to ​​start exporting even before the pandemic started.

“With the coronavirus crisis, the need to export was intensified because between 80% and 90% of domestic consumption is via food services, bars and restaurants that are currently closed,”  said Figueiredo. In 2019, Brazil produced 90,000 tons of shrimp and the expectation is to reach the same level of production this year, he said. “We are helping two more plants to be licensed for export and our intention is to continue to work so that more markets can be opened to shrimp farmers.”

The following chart shows Brazilian shrimp exports since January 2015:

Source: DataLiner

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