Integration – Penetration – Assimilation
Stronger integration, deeper penetration and more assimilation are three phrases to evaluate the effectiveness of FTAs in general and the CPTPP agreement in particular for Vietnam seafood industry.
After 5 years, with seafood export turnover increasing from 2.2 billion USD to 2.9 billion USD in 2022, reaching 2.4 billion USD in 2023, CPTPP is the market group with the second strongest growth rate, after China. In 2018, CPTPP accounted for 25% of Vietnam's seafood exports, by 2023, it accounted for nearly 27%.
The clear changes in seafood exports 5 years after the CPTPP agreement took effect are:
First, in terms of exports, the increase rates in exports to CPTPP countries is stronger than other markets. In particular, Canada, Chile, Peru, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia...
- Vietnamese seafood’s market share in these markets went up, showing increased competitive strength thanks to the CPTPP agreement.
For example, in Canada: market share increased from 7-8% to 10%, of which shrimp alone increased from 18% to 25% and ranked first; tuna also increased from 6% to 11% and ranked third.
In Australia, Vietnam’s shrimp holds an overwhelming market share of 70%, nearly doubling from 32% before signing the agreement. These numbers reflect the significant increase in Vietnamese seafood exports to CPTPP markets since joining the agreement.
Second, there is a rise in seafood imports to Vietnam for processing and re-export, as well as for domestic consumption;
Integration is also shown through collaborative efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of seafood processing for expor, thanks to investments and partnerships in technology, techniques, and applying scientific advancements in aquaculture, processing, and seafood export.
CPTPP expansion - more opportunities for the seafood industry
The UK signed an agreement to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - a milestone that could lead to moremembers joining the agreement. These changes also create more opportunities for Vietnamese seafood to penetrate the market and integrate by diversifying raw material sources.
Currently, under the bilateral agreement between Vietnam and the UK, preferential import taxes on key Vietnamese seafood products to the UK are mostly zero. However, a few product codes such as processed shrimp HS code 160521 and 160529 are still subject to a 7% tax rate. Of course, these two Vietnamese product lines are both in the No. 1 position in the UK, dominating 36% of the market share, but the room for growth will be greater when Vietnamese shrimp is subject to CPTPP tariff preferences.
In addition, the opportunity to diversify raw material sources for processing exports within the bloc will increase. In addition, Vietnamese companies is also a partner for the UK in the processing of seafood products from the UK, such as cod.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, the country’s total canned tuna export value in 2025 reached over USD 275 million, down 8% compared to 2024. Vietnamese canned tuna products were present in approximately 80 markets worldwide. However, the 2025 picture shows clear divergence: the U.S. maintained stability, the EU declined sharply, while several Middle East–North Africa (MENA) markets accelerated.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s crab exports reached nearly USD 86 million, up almost 6% compared to 2024. A notable feature of 2025 was the strong market concentration in the United States, which accounted for more than 81% of Vietnam’s total crab export value, up 10% from the previous year. In contrast, exports to several Asian markets declined significantly, resulting in only modest overall growth for the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tilapia exports recorded impressive growth, with total export turnover reaching over USD 99 million, highlighting the increasingly important role of this product in the country’s seafood export structure. Of this total, tilapia fillets and other fish meat products accounted for USD 61 million, representing 61% of total export value and reaffirming their position as the key product category.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp seed quality is considered the “first link” and a decisive factor affecting the efficiency of the entire commercial shrimp production chain. High-quality seed directly influences survival rates, growth performance, and disease resistance, thereby determining production costs, productivity, and farmers’ profitability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of its agricultural restructuring strategy toward sustainability, Quang Tri Province is gradually promoting environmentally friendly aquaculture models. Among these, organic-oriented golden pompano farming is considered a promising direction, aligned with the goals of enhancing production value and building sustainable rural areas.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
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