FAO report: U.S. shrimp market to improve

In the first half of 2009, U.S. shrimp imports remained almost unchanged in terms of volume, totalling 236 076 metric tons, down 0.4 percent from the same period in 2008, a new United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report said.

In terms of value, imports fell 2.5 percent to to $1.6 billion (€1.1 billion).

Thailand remained the top supplier of shrimp to the U.S. market during the six-moth period, with 73,367 metric tons worth $515.4 million (€343.3 million), accounting for 31 percent of total imported volumes and 32 percent of total value of imports, the FAO Globefish report said.

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