Totals
China imported 94,707 MT (+36% YoY) in January, followed by 71,379 MT (+15% YoY) in February. Combined, imports reached 166,086 MT (+26% YoY) in Jan–Feb 2026, while value totaled $869 million (+18% YoY), with January at $505 million (+27% YoY) and February at $364 million (+7% YoY). The strong growth is largely driven by timing: Chinese New Year fell in mid-February 2026, compared to late January in 2025, shifting a larger share of pre-holiday shipments into January and early February. As a result, January shows particularly strong growth, while February remains elevated despite the holiday period, and the combined YTD figures likely overstate underlying demand.
Suppliers
Supplier dynamics reflect the same timing effect. Ecuador increased exports to 73,358 MT (+44% YoY) in January and 55,682 MT (+13% YoY) in February, reaching 129,040 MT (+29% YoY) YTD, reinforcing its dominance in whole shrimp supply for the Chinese New Year peak. India recorded 14,066 MT (+39% YoY) in January and 8,486 MT (+44% YoY) in February, totaling 22,552 MT (+41% YoY), continuing its diversification away from the US with shipments mainly consisting of HLSO L. vannamei blocks and HOSO P. monodon. Thailand delivered 2,180 MT (+14% YoY) in January and 1,515 MT (+26% YoY) in February, reaching 3,695 MT (+18% YoY). Saudi Arabia showed volatile but positive YTD growth at 2,903 MT (+13% YoY), while Indonesia reached 1,977 MT (+31% YoY) despite uneven monthly flows. In contrast, Argentina declined sharply, with 829 MT (+44% YoY) in January but only 872 MT (-71% YoY) in February, bringing YTD volumes to 1,701 MT (-52% YoY).
Byte in Numbers
Total Import
- Volume
- Mar: 67,642 MT = -8% YoY
- Apr: 70,067 MT = +5% YoY
- 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
- 2026 YTD: 166,086 MT = +26% YoY
- Value
- Mar: $351 million = -3% YoY
- Apr: $356 million = +6% YoY
- 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
- 2026 YTD: $869 million = +18% YoY
Top Five Suppliers by Volume
- Ecuador
- Mar: 50,678 MT = -9% YoY
- Apr: 52,295 MT = +11% YoY
- 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
- 2026 YTD: 129,040 MT = +29% YoY
- India
- Mar: 7,093 MT = -19% YoY
- Apr: 10,080 MT = -11% YoY
- 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
- 2026 YTD: 22,552 MT = +41% YoY
- Thailand
- Mar: 2,015 MT = +15% YoY
- Apr: 2,065 MT = -23% YoY
- 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
- 2026 YTD: 3,695 MT = +18% YoY
- Saudi Arabia
- Mar: 282 MT = -64% YoY
- Apr: 26 MT = +47% YoY
- May: 29 MT = -98% YoY
- Jun: 48 MT (vs 0 MT in Jun 2024)
- Jul: 0 MT = -100% YoY
- Aug: 2,506 MT = +3% YoY
- Sep: 657 MT = -39% YoY
- Oct: 156 MT = -79% YoY
- Nov: 622 MT = -21% YoY
- Dec: 1,037 MT = -77% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 7,940 MT = -55% YoY
- Jan: 1,175 MT = -50% YoY
- Feb: 1,728 MT = +669% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 2,903 MT = +13% YoY
- Indonesia
- Mar: 1,368 MT = +4% YoY
- Apr: 153 MT = -38% YoY
- 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
- 2026 YTD: 1,977 MT = +31% YoY
- Argentina
- Mar: 2,429 MT = -4% YoY
- Apr: 2,243 MT = -12% YoY
- 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
- 2026 YTD: 1,701 MT = -52% YoY
