Mauritius Dominates UK Canned Tuna Imports, Thailand Looses Groundff

By Atuna

Tuna import in the United Kingdom recovered during the first month of 2011, reversing the downward trend from 2009 to 2010. In January, imported canned tuna in brine totalled 7.612 tons, significantly higher than during this same month last year (5.230 tons). Tuna in oil import rose from 1.147 tons in January 2010 to 1.533 tons last January.

The upward import trend starting 2011 is the result of the low prices of raw material around October last year, when the price fell to US$ 900 per ton. The shipments ordered by UK packers arrived from December and January on.

According to the UK trade info data, the January imports in brine coming from Mauritius rose very strongly. In January 2010 the UK imported 1.518 tons from the Indian Ocean island nation, while in January 2011 these imports more than doubled to 3.604 tons, keeping Mauritius the absolute number one country for the UK tuna import. The UK Mauritius import grew from 16.607 tons in 2009 to 19.902 tons in 2010.

Regarding the January 2011 imports of canned tuna in brine, the top five were further taken by the Philippines (999 tons), Ghana (879 tons), the Seychelles (643 tons) and Thailand (578 tons). In terms of growth ,the Philippines did very well (up from 591 tons in January 2011), after a relatively stable import over 2010 and 2009 of over 9.800 tons.

Ghana and Thailand seem to lose some ground in their UK exports. Ghana showed a slight decrease (from 1.156 tons, after an increase in 2010-2009 from 12.218 tons to 12.388 tons) while Thailand continued a strong downward trend (from 668 tons in January 2010)  after an export loss from 12.680 in 2009 to 9.562 tons in 2010. The Seychelles recovered some position up from 588 tons in January 2010, after a strong decrease from 15.579 tons in 2009 to 10.565 tons in 2010.

The UK import of canned tuna in brine from Ecuador increased from 154 tons in January 2010 to 219 tons last January. This more than halve its UK export from 5.547 tons in 2009 to 2.604 tons in 2010.

For canned tuna in oil similar trends were registered. Market leader Mauritius further amplified its UK export from 540 tons in January 2010 to 605 tons last January. It was followed by the Seychelles (222 tons), Ecuador (219 tons) and Thailand (199 tons). Total Thai imports on the oil product decreased strongly from 3.020 tons in 2009 to 1.290 tons in 2010. The Import from Papua New Guinea counted in January this year for a surprising 65 tons, more than the total import over 2010, which was 53 tons.