In 2022, Vietnam’s lobster exports to China reached over 257 million USD, an increase of 8.3 times compared to 2021. Vietnamese lobster exports to China in 2022 increased sharply thanks to rising Chinese consumer demand due to several years earlier, the Chinese market closed due to the Covid pandemic. In 2021, the Chinese lobster market was almost "frozen" because of the Covid epidemic, so in 2022, supply decreased, causing this market to boost imports for domestic consumption and export processing.
In addition, on April 27, 2022, Thanh Nhon General Trading And Seafood Company Limited (Ho Chi Minh City) signed a contract to officially export live lobster products to Kunming City with the amount of capacity of 2,000 tons, implemented until April 2023. This is the largest official lobster export contract ever for a domestic enterprise.
In 2021, Vietnamese lobster exports to China reached 31 million USD, down 80% compared to 2020 due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, China implemented a zero COVID policy, causing many factories in the country to close and production to stagnate.
According to data from China Customs, in the first 7 months of this year, China's lobster imports reached 32,358 tons, worth over 962 million USD, an increase of 19% in volume and 1% in value over the same period last year.
The largest lobster suppliers to China include Canada, the US, New Zealand, Cuba, India, Brazil, Mexico... Vietnam ranks 14th in lobster supply to China, accounting for a small market share of 1%. Vietnamese lobster products exported to China include fresh, live rock lobsters, Ornate spiny lobster and green lobster.
Currently, lobster consumption is mainly exported to the Chinese market via unofficial channels. Lobster farmers always face many risks when prices fluctuate erratically, being pressured by traders... Meanwhile, informal exports are becoming increasingly narrow as China is gradually applying strict conditions on imports of fishery products. To ensure convenience in the future, officially exporting lobster is very necessary. To do so, it is urgent to create links between production, purchasing and export of lobsters associated with traceability.
To successfully build linked models, the fisheries industry will focus on supporting relevant parties participating in the chain to access support policies; guide the transfer of scientific and technological advances in aquaculture; Implement well the planning of concentrated aquaculture areas to develop raw material areas; Create favorable conditions for purchasing and exporting units to connect with lobster farmers.
Farmers need to focus on taking care and closely monitoring market developments, stocking at moderate density and in accordance with planning, and fully register and declare with state management agencies.
Previously, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had a project to develop lobster farming and export by 2025, with total farming output reaching 3,000 tons a year and export turnover reaching 200 million USD a year. The largest lobster producing provinces in the country are Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, and Kien Giang.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia industry is maintaining strong growth momentum, with significant room for further expansion in the coming years. In 2025, total tilapia production reached approximately 420,000 tonnes, up 33% from 2024 and 2.2 times higher than in 2015. During 2015–2025, production grew at an average annual rate of around 8.4%. As production and exports continue to expand, food safety control is receiving increasing attention to ensure product quality, meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international markets, and provide a foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first six months of 2026 indicate that Vietnam’s tilapia industry is entering a new phase of development, with strong export growth but also greater demands for production scale, quality and international competitiveness.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
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