In the first seven months of this year Vietnam’s seafood exports rose 4.4 per cent compared to the same period last year, with turnover of $3.6 billion.
Seafood exports faced some difficulties earlier in the year. From the second quarter, however, the signs have been positive, especially for shrimp and pangasius exports.
Demand for imported shrimp has increased in the US since April, which is good news for Vietnam’s exporters. Ecuador, a major shrimp exporter, is likely to see lower output due to earthquakes and disease.
Meanwhile, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) increased the average duty on shrimp imports from India to 4.98 per cent from the previous 2.96 per cent, according to ICRA Limited, an Indian credit ratings agency. Thailand is also losing its prestige in the global shrimp market.
Global shrimp volumes are forecast to decline, pushing up prices by 10 to 15 per cent. This represents a great opportunity for Vietnam to increase the value of its shrimp exports to the US.
The US and Vietnam signed an agreement in July resolving disputes over US anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese shrimp. The two agreed on a framework to resolve two WTO disputes, DS404 and DS492, in which Vietnam objected to the US’s anti-dumping measures.
As a result, the Minh Phu Seafood Corporation, Vietnam’s largest shrimp exporter, will no longer be subject to anti-dumping duties when exporting to the US. In a DOC decision, Minh Phu’s dumping margin was found to be zero or not significant in three consecutive administrative reviews. It will be refunded part of the anti-dumping duties it had deposited in previous years, estimated to be in the millions of dollars.
The implementation of the Vietnam-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA) has also had a positive impact on Vietnam’s shrimp exports.
In the first year of the agreement’s implementation 10,000 tons of Vietnamese shrimp will enjoy a tax rate of zero per cent. The figure for Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia is 5,000 tons. Over the next five years the figure for Vietnam will increase to 15,000 tons. This gives Vietnam’s shrimp more advantages than in the ASEAN-South Korea FTA, with a 5,000-ton figure on shrimp from all ten ASEAN countries.
VASEP said that the export of other major seafood items would also see good results over the remaining months of the year. It forecast export turnover of $7.1 billion, an 8 per cent increase compared to 2015.
Shrimp exports will earn $3.2 billion, up 11 per cent, tuna $500 million, up 10 per cent, and squid $450 million, up 5 per cent. Pangasius exports, meanwhile, will earn $1.6 billion, down 4 per cent compared to 2015.
VASEP General Secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said that Vietnam’s seafood exports will face a shortage of shrimp supplies over the remaining months of the year due to the impacts of saltwater intrusion. Other seafood may also be affected due to problems in offshore fishing.
Vietnamese seafood companies will need import $1 billion worth of pangasius, shrimp, and squid to meet demand for exports.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 81 million in April 2026, down 6% compared to the same period in 2025. In the first four months of the year, export turnover totaled USD 289 million, down 4.8%. Although the overall export picture has yet to brighten significantly, market trends are becoming increasingly diversified rather than moving in a single direction.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is undergoing strong restructuring starting from the broodstock and fingerling segment in order to improve productivity, quality, and export competitiveness. This is considered a critical foundation for the sustainable development of the industry amid rising production costs and increasingly stringent market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs data, pangasius exports in April 2026 reached USD 206 million, up 18% compared to the same period in 2025 — marking another consecutive month of double-digit growth since the beginning of the year. Cumulative pangasius export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 720 million, up 17% year-on-year, reflecting the positive growth momentum of this key export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the first four months of 2026 maintained positive growth momentum, reaching approximately USD 1.5 billion, up 15% compared to the same period last year. However, behind this result lies diverging trends across markets, as the global shrimp industry continues to face pressure from inflation, high inventories, price competition, and increasing trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Vinh Tuy commune (Kien Giang Province), many shrimp farmers are adopting bottom aeration systems and reporting clear economic benefits, helping increase income and reduce production risks.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of crabs and other crustaceans reached more than USD 93 million, up 23% compared to the same period last year. The result shows that the sector is experiencing a fairly positive recovery, especially in its two key product groups: crabs and swimming crabs. However, behind the growth figures are several concerns: export markets remain highly concentrated, raw material supply is unstable, and trade barriers from the US and EU are becoming increasingly stringent.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Ca Mau province, many farmers are transitioning from traditional methods to high-tech shrimp farming, adopting recirculating systems with minimal water exchange to improve efficiency and reduce risks. In Hung My commune alone, there are about 260 super-intensive shrimp farming households covering more than 265 hectares, playing a key role in local economic development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
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