Totals
China’s shrimp imports continued to surge in April 2026 following a very strong first quarter. Total imports reached 93,427 MT in April, up 33% YoY, bringing 2026 YTD imports to 343,619 MT, up 27% YoY. Import value increased at a similarly strong pace, with April imports valued at $473 million, up 33% YoY, resulting in a YTD import value of $1.77 billion, up 22% YoY.
The strong performance follows already elevated imports during Q1 2026. Imports reached 84,105 MT in March, up 24% YoY, after increasing 36% YoY in January and 15% YoY in February. The continued strength partly reflects a shift in the timing of the Chinese New Year compared to 2025, but also points to substantially stronger import activity during the first four months of 2026.
Suppliers
Ecuador remained overwhelmingly dominant in the Chinese market and continued to drive overall import growth. Ecuadorian exports to China reached 70,717 MT in April, up 35% YoY, bringing 2026 YTD exports to 263,317 MT, up 30% YoY. Ecuador alone accounted for more than three-quarters of China’s shrimp imports during the first four months of the year.
India also continued to gain significant momentum in the Chinese market. April exports increased 41% YoY to 14,227 MT, resulting in YTD exports of 49,748 MT, up 50% YoY. March exports had already surged 83% YoY.
Thailand remained China’s third-largest supplier but showed a mixed trend. April exports declined 26% YoY to 1,524 MT, although YTD exports still increased 5% YoY to 7,556 MT.
Argentine shrimp exports remained volatile and below last year’s levels overall. April exports increased 7% YoY to 2,409 MT, but YTD exports still declined 27% YoY to 6,021 MT.
Indonesia continued to export relatively small volumes to China but maintained strong percentage growth. April exports reached 1,192 MT, up 681% YoY, bringing YTD exports to 4,546 MT, up 50% YoY.
Byte in Numbers
Total Import
- Volume
- May: 74,097 MT = +6% YoY
- Jun: 85,901 MT = +9% YoY
- Jul: 90,683 MT = +10% YoY
- Aug: 85,498 MT = +5% YoY
- Sep: 66,757 MT = +1% YoY
- Oct: 70,133 MT = -0% YoY
- Nov: 76,396 MT = -3% YoY
- Dec: 82,409 MT = -9% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 901,563 MT = -2% YoY
- Jan: 94,707 MT = +36% YoY
- Feb: 71,379 MT = +15% YoY
- Mar: 84,105 MT = +24% YoY
- Apr: 93,427 MT = +33% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 343,619 MT = +27% YoY
- Value
- May: $376 million = +10% YoY
- Jun: $442 million = +17% YoY
- Jul: $464 million = +17% YoY
- Aug: $443 million = +12% YoY
- Sep: $358 million = +9% YoY
- Oct: $380 million = +8% YoY
- Nov: $428 million = +2% YoY
- Dec: $456 million = -9% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: $4,794 million = +5% YoY
- Jan: $505 million = +27% YoY
- Feb: $364 million = +7% YoY
- Mar: $429 million = +22% YoY
- Apr: $473 million = +33% YoY
- 2026 YTD: $1,770 million = +22% YoY
Top Five Suppliers by Volume
- Ecuador
- May: 52,055 MT = +4% YoY
- Jun: 64,793 MT = +3% YoY
- Jul: 69,327 MT = +16% YoY
- Aug: 65,633 MT = +8% YoY
- Sep: 46,850 MT = -6% YoY
- Oct: 48,371 MT = -8% YoY
- Nov: 50,539 MT = -7% YoY
- Dec: 51,198 MT = -20% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 651,866 MT = -3% YoY
- Jan: 73,358 MT = +44% YoY
- Feb: 55,682 MT = +13% YoY
- Mar: 63,561 MT = +25% YoY
- Apr: 70,717 MT = +35% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 263,317 MT = +30% YoY
- India
- May: 14,088 MT = +12% YoY
- Jun: 14,522 MT = +28% YoY
- Jul: 14,570 MT = -7% YoY
- Aug: 10,357 MT = -20% YoY
- Sep: 13,877 MT = +46% YoY
- Oct: 13,937 MT = +56% YoY
- Nov: 14,623 MT = +2% YoY
- Dec: 20,437 MT = +58% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 149,599 MT = +6% YoY
- Jan: 14,066 MT = +39% YoY
- Feb: 8,486 MT = +44% YoY
- Mar: 12,969 MT = +83% YoY
- Apr: 14,227 MT = +41% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 49,748 MT = +50% YoY
- Thailand
- May: 2,024 MT = +26% YoY
- Jun: 2,440 MT = +73% YoY
- Jul: 2,294 MT = +125% YoY
- Aug: 2,584 MT = +30% YoY
- Sep: 2,784 MT = +59% YoY
- Oct: 2,148 MT = +1% YoY
- Nov: 3,477 MT = +62% YoY
- Dec: 2,787 MT = -4% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 27,739 MT = +19% YoY
- Jan: 2,180 MT = +14% YoY
- Feb: 1,515 MT = +26% YoY
- Mar: 2,336 MT = +16% YoY
- Apr: 1,524 MT = -26% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 7,556 MT = +5% YoY
- Argentina
- May: 1,350 MT = -9% YoY
- Jun: 1,798 MT = +247% YoY
- Jul: 1,113 MT = +137% YoY
- Aug: 630 MT = +2% YoY
- Sep: 570 MT = -60% YoY
- Oct: 879 MT = -53% YoY
- Nov: 2,546 MT = -22% YoY
- Dec: 2,075 MT = +78% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 19,170 MT = +10% YoY
- Jan: 829 MT = +44% YoY
- Feb: 872 MT = -71% YoY
- Mar: 1,911 MT = -21% YoY
- Apr: 2,409 MT = +7% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 6,021 MT = -27% YoY
- Indonesia
- May: 1,555 MT = +1,137% YoY
- Jun: 240 MT = -43% YoY
- Jul: 1,312 MT = +15% YoY
- Aug: 1,460 MT = +263% YoY
- Sep: 278 MT = -24% YoY
- Oct: 1,382 MT = +3% YoY
- Nov: 1,732 MT = +13% YoY
- Dec: 2,145 MT = +32% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 13,137 MT = +28% YoY
- Jan: 501 MT = -56% YoY
- Feb: 1,477 MT = +293% YoY
- Mar: 1,377 MT = +1% YoY
- Apr: 1,192 MT = +681% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 4,546 MT = +50% YoY
