China's Shrimp Exports Register Strong Growth from January to April 2026! April Sales Surpass Pre-Spring Festival Levels Amid Accelerating Recovery of Overseas Orders
- Heidi
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
According to the latest customs data, China's shrimp exports saw a robust rebound in the first four months of 2026. The export volume in April exceeded the pre-Spring Festival figure, marking a much faster recovery compared with previous years and emerging as a highlight in the aquatic product foreign trade sector.
I. Overall Export Performance: Peeled Shrimp Remains the Mainstay of Warm-water Shrimp Exports
From January to April 2026, China exported a total of 11,403 tons of peeled shrimp, with an export value of 113 million US dollars and a stable average export price of 9.89 US dollars per kilogram.
During the same period, the total export volume of domestic warm-water shrimp products reached 14,707 tons. Peeled shrimp alone accounted for 77.5% of the total, firmly establishing itself as the core product for warm-water shrimp exports.
II. Monthly Trend: A Rebound After a Dip, Hitting a New Annual High in April
China's peeled shrimp exports showed distinct monthly fluctuations and a strong recovery momentum:
January: Factories rushed to fulfill pre-Spring Festival orders. Exports hit 3,191 tons worth 32.33 million US dollars, the highest level at the start of the year.
February: Production halted for the Spring Festival, dragging exports down sharply to 1,970 tons with an export value of 19.19 million US dollars, the lowest point of the year.
March: Processing factories resumed work and production gradually. Exports rebounded to 2,460 tons as the market picked up.
April: Exports surged to 3,782 tons, an increase of over 1,300 tons month-on-month. The figure not only rebounded substantially but also outperformed January's pre-Spring Festival level, with an export value of 37.03 million US dollars, the annual peak so far.
Traditionally, aquatic product exports usually fully recover in terms of production capacity and orders until May after the Spring Festival. This year's early recovery in April indicates a notable advance in the revival of overseas market demand.
In terms of prices, the average export price of peeled shrimp fluctuated slightly around 10 US dollars per kilogram in the four months: 10.13 US dollars in January, 9.74 US dollars in February, 9.82 US dollars in March and 9.79 US dollars in April. Despite rising export volumes, prices remained stable with no hikes in overseas markets.
III. Overseas Market Pattern: Concentrated Demand with Purchases from Multiple Countries
China's peeled shrimp exports are highly concentrated in target markets, with leading importing countries posting close figures:
Spain imported 2,487 tons and Japan 2,472 tons, a mere difference of 15 tons, ranking the top two. The United States and South Korea recorded nearly identical import volumes at 1,804 tons and 1,799 tons respectively. Hong Kong of China and Portugal followed, with imports of 1,113 tons and 734 tons.
Domestic production bases have formed targeted export features. Zhejiang mainly supplies the European market, focusing on retail and catering channels in Spain and Portugal. Shandong caters to the Japanese market by complying with its strict processing standards and quality control requirements. Fujian primarily delivers products to the United States and South Korea.
IV. Distribution of Domestic Production Bases: Four Provinces Account for Nearly 95% of Total Exports
China's peeled shrimp exports are highly geographically concentrated in the first four months of 2026, with four major provinces dominating the market:
Zhejiang ranked first with exports of 5,344 tons, taking up 46.9% of the national total. Fujian followed with 2,652 tons, accounting for 23.3%. Guangdong and Shandong exported 1,474 tons and 1,339 tons respectively.
Combined, the four provinces contributed 94.8% of China's total peeled shrimp exports, serving as the backbone of the industry's foreign trade.
V. Product Comparison: Peeled Shrimp Outperforms Shell-on Shrimp with High Added Value
Peeled shrimp boasts remarkable market advantages over shell-on shrimp over the same period:
Export volume: 11,403 tons for peeled shrimp versus 3,304 tons for shell-on shrimp, with the former 3.5 times the latter.
Export value: 113 million US dollars for peeled shrimp and 19 million US dollars for shell-on shrimp, a 5.9-fold gap.
Unit price: The average price of peeled shrimp stood at 9.89 US dollars per kilogram, nearly 1.7 times that of shell-on shrimp at 5.78 US dollars per kilogram.
Shell-on shrimp exports lingered between 900 tons and 1,100 tons in recent months with sluggish growth. By contrast, peeled shrimp exports climbed steadily from the February low to nearly 3,800 tons. This trend proves that deep-processed shrimp products with high added value are more popular among overseas buyers.
VI. Industry Summary
China has achieved impressive results in peeled shrimp exports at the start of 2026. The recovery has exceeded expectations, featured steady sales and prices, a clear market layout and high concentration of production bases. Driven by the continuous recovery of overseas catering and retail demand, together with stable production capacity of domestic processing factories, peeled shrimp exports are expected to maintain growth and continue to lead the aquatic product foreign trade sector.
