Totals
EU imports of raw frozen Penaeus shrimp (HS 03061792) and value-added shrimp (HS 160521, 160529) from Asia, Latin America, and Africa continued to soften in March 2026 after a weak February. Total imports reached 28,715 MT in March, down 18% YoY, bringing Q1 2026 imports to 86,931 MT, down 7% YoY. Import value fell even faster, with March imports valued at €170 million, down 27% YoY, resulting in a Q1 value of €540 million, down 15% YoY.
Southern Europe remained the largest importing region but continued to weaken. Imports into the region declined 13% YoY in March to 19,462 MT, bringing Q1 imports to 48,733 MT, down 11% YoY. Northwestern Europe saw the sharpest contraction among the major regions, with March imports falling 37% YoY to 7,665 MT, resulting in a Q1 decline of 5% YoY to 34,045 MT. Eastern Europe remained the exception, with March imports surging 128% YoY to 1,588 MT and Q1 imports reaching 4,153 MT, up 71% YoY.
Products
Raw frozen Penaeus shrimp continued to drive the overall decline in EU imports. March imports of raw frozen shrimp fell 19% YoY to 25,281 MT, bringing Q1 imports to 74,184 MT, down 8% YoY.
Value-added shrimp imports performed more resiliently. March imports declined 14% YoY to 3,434 MT, but Q1 imports still increased 2% YoY to 12,747 MT. As a result, value-added products continued to gain share within the EU shrimp market despite weaker overall demand conditions.
Suppliers
Ecuador remained by far the largest supplier to the EU market, but exports weakened significantly during Q1 2026. Ecuadorian shipments declined 20% YoY in March to 15,424 MT, bringing Q1 exports to the EU to 41,071 MT, down 10% YoY.
India continued to outperform most competing origins. Indian exports to the EU increased 36% YoY in March to 5,458 MT, resulting in Q1 exports of 16,711 MT, up 29% YoY. Vietnam also maintained positive momentum, with March exports rising 6% YoY to 3,797 MT and Q1 exports increasing 17% YoY to 13,482 MT.
Venezuelan exports continued to collapse. March shipments to the EU fell 84% YoY to just 448 MT, bringing Q1 exports down 55% YoY to 3,083 MT. Bangladesh also remained under pressure, with March exports declining 41% YoY to 553 MT and Q1 exports falling 32% YoY to 2,290 MT.
Byte in Numbers
Total Raw Frozen Penaeus (HS 03061792) and Value-Added (HS 160521, 160529) from Asia, Latin America, and Africa
- Volume:
- Apr: 32,133 MT = +14% YoY
- May: 40,620 MT = +27% YoY
- Jun: 40,616 MT = +28% YoY
- Jul: 44,245 MT = +25% YoY
- Aug: 40,051 MT = +7% YoY
- Sep: 41,878 MT = +9% YoY
- Oct: 42,584 MT = +20% YoY
- Nov: 43,179 MT = +34% YoY
- Dec: 37,460 MT = +31% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 455,776 MT = +21% YoY
- Jan: 32,288 MT = +5% YoY
- Feb: 24,430 MT = -10% YoY
- Mar: 28,715 MT = -18% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 86,931 MT = -7% YoY
- Value:
- Apr: €202 million = +20% YoY
- May: €246 million = +24% YoY
- Jun: €245 million = +30% YoY
- Jul: €271 million = +20% YoY
- Aug: €248 million = +8% YoY
- Sep: €257 million = +9% YoY
- Oct: €254 million = +14% YoY
- Nov: €271 million = +31% YoY
- Dec: €242 million = +23% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: €2,869 million = +22% YoY
- Jan: €209 million = -2% YoY
- Feb: €154 million = -17% YoY
- Mar: €170 million = -27% YoY
- 2026 YTD: €540 million = -15% YoY
Import Regions of Raw Frozen Penaeus and Value-Added from Asia, Latin America, and Africa
- Southern EU:
- Apr: 20,577 MT = +14% YoY
- May: 25,849 MT = +31% YoY
- Jun: 27,244 MT = +32% YoY
- Jul: 25,916 MT = +25% YoY
- Aug: 23,403 MT = +2% YoY
- Sep: 24,738 MT = +12% YoY
- Oct: 25,800 MT = +27% YoY
- Nov: 23,280 MT = +16% YoY
- Dec: 20,135 MT = +24% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 271,608 MT = +19% YoY
- Jan: 15,340 MT = -4% YoY
- Feb: 12,704 MT = -22% YoY
- Mar: 19,462 MT = -13% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 48,733 MT = -11% YoY
- Northwestern EU:
- Feb: 9,986 MT = -1% YoY
- Apr: 10,409 MT = +14% YoY
- May: 13,798 MT = +27% YoY
- Jun: 12,352 MT = +20% YoY
- Jul: 16,653 MT = +22% YoY
- Aug: 15,378 MT = +17% YoY
- Sep: 15,205 MT = +1% YoY
- Oct: 15,305 MT = +11% YoY
- Nov: 18,092 MT = +61% YoY
- Dec: 15,450 MT = +35% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 168,552 MT = +22% YoY
- Jan: 15,629 MT = +13% YoY
- Feb: 10,480 MT = +5% YoY
- Mar: 7,665 MT = -37% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 34,045 MT = -5% YoY
- Eastern EU:
- Apr: 1,148 MT = +15% YoY
- May: 973 MT = -28% YoY
- Jun: 1,021 MT = +41% YoY
- Jul: 1,676 MT = +66% YoY
- Aug: 1,270 MT = 0% YoY
- Sep: 1,935 MT = +61% YoY
- Oct: 1,479 MT = +23% YoY
- Nov: 1,807 MT = +122% YoY
- Dec: 1,875 MT = +93% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 15,616 MT = +26% YoY
- Jan: 1,319 MT = +38% YoY
- Feb: 1,246 MT = +60% YoY
- Mar: 1,588 MT = +128% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 4,153 MT = +71% YoY
Products
- Raw Frozen Penaeus Shrimp (HS 03061792):
- Apr: 27,820 MT = +12% YoY
- May: 35,669 MT = +29% YoY
- Jun: 36,203 MT = +31% YoY
- Jul: 38,687 MT = +27% YoY
- Aug: 35,187 MT = +7% YoY
- Sep: 36,732 MT = +9% YoY
- Oct: 37,322 MT = +21% YoY
- Nov: 38,101 MT = +37% YoY
- Dec: 32,457 MT = +34% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 398,750 MT = +21% YoY
- Jan: 27,273 MT = +4% YoY
- Feb: 20,336 MT = -13% YoY
- Mar: 25,281 MT = -19% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 74,184 MT = -8% YoY
- Value-Added (HS 160521, HS 160529):
- Apr: 4,313 MT = +26% YoY
- May: 4,951 MT = +14% YoY
- Jun: 4,413 MT = +8% YoY
- Jul: 5,558 MT = +13% YoY
- Aug: 4,863 MT = +10% YoY
- Sep: 5,146 MT = +15% YoY
- Oct: 5,262 MT = +13% YoY
- Nov: 5,078 MT = +14% YoY
- Dec: 5,002 MT = +12% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 57,026 MT = +17% YoY
- Jan: 5,015 MT = +7% YoY
- Feb: 4,094 MT = +9% YoY
- Mar: 3,434 MT = -14% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 12,747 MT = +2% YoY
Top Five Suppliers
- Ecuador:
- Apr: 18,986 MT = +32% YoY
- May: 24,233 MT = +39% YoY
- Jun: 26,174 MT = +62% YoY
- Jul: 24,498 MT = +54% YoY
- Aug: 21,083 MT = +8% YoY
- Sep: 21,240 MT = +33% YoY
- Oct: 21,997 MT = +44% YoY
- Nov: 20,770 MT = +36% YoY
- Dec: 17,230 MT = +21% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 241,947 MT = +35% YoY
- Jan: 13,251 MT = +4% YoY
- Feb: 11,367 MT = -17% YoY
- Mar: 15,424 MT = -20% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 41,071 MT = -10% YoY
- India:
- Apr: 3,694 MT = +10% YoY
- May: 4,800 MT = +25% YoY
- Jun: 4,251 MT = +19% YoY
- Jul: 5,519 MT = +23% YoY
- Aug: 5,818 MT = +44% YoY
- Sep: 7,083 MT = +33% YoY
- Oct: 7,372 MT = +67% YoY
- Nov: 7,785 MT = +91% YoY
- Dec: 7,543 MT = +113% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 66,843 MT = +44% YoY
- Jan: 6,496 MT = +34% YoY
- Feb: 4,518 MT = +11% YoY
- Mar: 5,458 MT = +36% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 16,711 MT = +29% YoY
- Viet Nam:
- Apr: 3,846 MT = +43% YoY
- May: 4,845 MT = +51% YoY
- Jun: 4,600 MT = +15% YoY
- Jul: 5,652 MT = +3% YoY
- Aug: 5,282 MT = -1% YoY
- Sep: 5,375 MT = -1% YoY
- Oct: 5,046 MT = +0% YoY
- Nov: 5,946 MT = +34% YoY
- Dec: 5,667 MT = +16% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 57,758 MT = +14% YoY
- Jan: 5,400 MT = +20% YoY
- Feb: 4,207 MT = +23% YoY
- Mar: 3,797 MT = +6% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 13,482 MT = +17% YoY
- Venezuela:
- Apr: 1,483 MT = -55% YoY
- May: 1,996 MT = -9% YoY
- Jun: 935 MT = -75% YoY
- Jul: 2,211 MT = -43% YoY
- Aug: 1,595 MT = -44% YoY
- Sep: 1,524 MT = -73% YoY
- Oct: 1,479 MT = -54% YoY
- Nov: 2,514 MT = +24% YoY
- Dec: 1,007 MT = +632% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 21,589 MT = -44% YoY
- Jan: 2,094 MT = -26% YoY
- Feb: 541 MT = -56% YoY
- Mar: 448 MT = -84% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 3,083 MT = -55% YoY
- Bangladesh:
- Apr: 640 MT = -10% YoY
- May: 573 MT = -10% YoY
- Jun: 653 MT = +46% YoY
- Jul: 1,706 MT = +72% YoY
- Aug: 1,786 MT = +31% YoY
- Sep: 1,865 MT = +28% YoY
- Oct: 1,874 MT = -13% YoY
- Nov: 1,699 MT = +4% YoY
- Dec: 1,652 MT = +1% YoY
- 2025 Year-Total: 15,813 MT = +15% YoY
- Jan: 1,086 MT = -26% YoY
- Feb: 651 MT = -32% YoY
- Mar: 553 MT = -41% YoY
- 2026 YTD: 2,290 MT = -32% YoY
