US Experiences Surged in Crab Meat Imports During Early 2024 While Prices Remain Stable

In early 2024, the United States (US) is experiencing increased crab meat imports, with prices remaining relatively stable. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US imported a total of 4.3 thousand tons of mixed crab meat (including blue crab Callinectes sapidus, Portunus pelagicus, and red crab Portunus haanii) from Jan-24 to Feb-24, valued at USD 108.6 million. This represents a significant increase of 20% year-over-year (YoY) in volume and 56% YoY in value.

Indonesia is the largest crab supplier to the US, accounting for 45% of the imported crab meat market share. During Jan-24 and Feb-24, 1.9 thousand tons of Indonesian crab meat entered the US, valued at 52.6 million USD. This reflects a notable increase of 26% in volume and 62% in value compared to the same period in 2022. The average price reached 26.39 USD/kg, 29% higher than in 2023 (20.59 USD/kg).