Shrimp exports set at $1.5 billion

Vietnam’s Ministry of Fisheries has forecast its shrimp exports this year at $1.5 billion, up 40% from last year. It is pinning its hopes on more orders from the U.S., which had been the biggest importer of Vietnamese shrimp. Exports to the U.S. last dropped by 30%. But the U.S. Dept. of Commerce recently prescribed an average import tariff on Vietnam of 4.5%, which will again make it profitable to export shrimp to the U.S. Vietnam is on target to become the world’s leading shrimp exporter, according to Vietnamese spokespersons. (Vietnam News Briefs, Feb. 17),