In the short term, the establishment of AEC will create a common market and remove barriers in services and capital for goods trading. ASEAN members enjoying the same preferential tax will compete with each other by quality and value added in products. It is expected that Vietnam will be experience a relatively high GDP growth rates. GDP growth of East Asia will be 6.1%, Vietnam's will be 5.8%, lower than Philippines (6.5%), and higher than Thailand (4%), Indonesia (5.6%), Malaysia (5%).
Through October 2015, ASEAN has been Vietnam's 6th largest seafood importing market, behind the US, EU, Japan, China-Hong Kong and South Korea. It is also the 7th largest seafood source to Vietnam.
Vietnam’s seafood export to ASEAN reported the annual growth of 5-10%. In Jan-Oct 2015, total seafood export increased by 33.6% from those of 5 years ago: Exports of other finfish (HS code from 0301 to 0305 and 1604, except for tuna and pangasius) reported the largest revenue of US$170 million, up 11% from that of 2011 while exports of tuna reached US$31.7 million, up 57% and exports of mollusk (squid, octopus and bivalve mollusk) up 8.7%.
In Jan-Sep 2015, total seafood imports into Vietnam from ASEAN reached US$87.7 million, down 0.5% year on year. Vietnam has also imported shrimp, tuna, squid and octopus from India, Taiwan, Peru.
Among ASEAN markets, Thai is one of the Vietnam's most important seafood markets. In Jan-Oct 2015, seafood export to Thailand accounted for 44.2% of Vietnam’s total export value to ASEAN. It was followed by Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines.
Among ASEAN nations, Thailand and Vietnam are two leading seafood suppliers.
Setting up ACE is a milestone in the regional economic integration in the ASEAN community. Seafood companies will have better competitive advantage because they enjoy the same economic environment and favorable and fair trade. This is a great opportunity for seafood enterprises to raise seafood imports and promote seafood exports inside and beyond the region.
|
Vietnam seafood exports to ASEAN, 2011-2015 (US$) |
|||||
|
No. |
Products |
2011 |
2014 |
↑↓% |
Jan-Oct 2015 |
|
1 |
Other finfish (HS code from 0301 to 0305 and 1604, ext tuna, pangasius) |
80,076,456 |
150,519,713 |
+87.96 |
169,906,792 |
|
2 |
Tuna (HS code 03 & 16) |
20,246,472 |
34,984,752 |
+72.8 |
31,763,566 |
|
3 |
Pangasius (HS code 03 & 16) |
110,851,730 |
136,569,821 |
+23.2 |
112,064,391 |
|
4 |
Crab and other crustacean (HS code 03 & 16) |
4,222,721 |
3,438,816 |
-18.56 |
3,028,505 |
|
5 |
Mollusk |
45,260,170 |
65,235,169 |
+44.1 |
49,213,255 |
|
6 |
Shrimp in all varieties (HS code 03 & 16) |
48,184,211 |
62,144,321 |
+28.9 |
46,811,395 |
|
Total |
308,841,761 |
452,892,592 |
+46.6 |
412,787,902 |
|
|
Seafood imports into Vietnam from ASEAN, Jan-Sep 2014-2015 |
|||
|
Products |
Jan-Sep 2014 |
Jan-Sep 2015 |
↑↓% |
|
Other finfish (HS code from 0301 to 0305 and 1604, ext tuna, pangasius) |
8,683.876.72 |
12,119,479.58 |
+39.56 |
|
Tuna (HS code 03 & 16) |
15,551,274.48 |
14,577,186.63 |
-6.26 |
|
Pangasius (HS code 03 & 16) |
3,165,597.04 |
6,861,852.10 |
+116.76 |
|
Crab and other crustacean (HS code 03 & 16) |
1,352,721.30 |
783,292.00 |
-42.1 |
|
Cephalopod (HS code 0307 & 16) |
8,260,170.67 |
6,453,603.98 |
-21.87 |
|
Bivalve mollusk (HS code 0307 & 16) |
1,470,338.25 |
515,225.85 |
-64.96 |
|
Shrimp in all varieties (HS code 03 & 16) |
49,717,689.08 |
46,465,837.34 |
-6.54 |
|
Total |
88,201,667.55 |
87.776,477.49 |
-0.48 |
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
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