Competitive pressure on agriculture
According to experts from the European Trade Policy and Investment Support Project (EU-Mutrap), agriculture and seafood have emerged as vulnerable sectors for both Vietnam and the EU during the FTA negotiation process. Both sides have applied the highest levels of protectionism and other subsidy instruments to support the sectors.
Obviously, any changes in agricultural policy will have a big impact on employment, poverty reduction and rural development. That’s why both Vietnam and the EU try to protect their agriculture against fierce competition when opening markets.
Do Lien Huong, an EU-Mutrap expert, reveals agricultural commodities are Vietnam’s strength and many of them such as coffee, potatoes, sugar and rice are able to compete with similar products in the EU market.
The country exports a large amount of cashew nuts and seafood products, but does not pay due attention to shipping milk and dairy products abroad.
On the contrary, Vietnam has a high demand for importing input materials to feed farm produce processing. For instance, 70% of livestock feed was imported last year.
In addition, the EU’s non tariff measures (NTMs), such as food safety and hygiene requirements, and customs procedures are among the toughest in the world, and they are really a big challenge for developing countries, including Vietnam.
Industry no exception
Paul Barker, an EU-Mutrap analyst, says EVFTA will help fuel the growth of six key Vietnamese fields – garment, footwear, automobile, high-technology, handicrafts and timber processing. However, the industry still meets many challenges.
Under the trade pact, the footwear sector will greatly benefit from import tax cuts and other incentives, but face fierce competition from other footwear producers such as India, Indonesia, Thailand and newly emerging markets like Myanmar.
Meanwhile, the garment sector will find it a bit difficult to get the lion’s share in the EU market because it greatly relies on imported input materials, mostly from China, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan. Therefore, its products are unlikely to compete with similar ones in the EU in terms of prices, designs, and technological advantages.
The wood processing industry is no exception as up to 80% of its materials are imported. The handicraft industry which mainly uses domestic materials like bamboo, wood and ceramic, recently began importing these materials from China, Laos and Cambodia for production. This means both industries will go into fierce competition in the EU market.
Furthermore, importers’ demanding requirements and strict EU rules of origin remain huge barriers to Vietnamese products.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Currently, Da Nang City has no fishing vessels detained, sanctioned by foreign authorities, or criminally prosecuted for IUU fishing violations. Patrols, monitoring of marine fishing activities, and handling of violations have been prioritized by competent forces, significantly reducing nearshore fishing infringements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel in the first nine months of 2025 reached just over USD 27 million, down as much as 49% compared to the same period in 2024. This is a steep and prolonged decline for many consecutive months, reflecting changes in import demand as well as shifts in the supply structure of this market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first 700 tons of Vietnamese tilapia ordered and imported by JBS Group will initially be distributed through supermarket chains, the Horeca network and JBS’s product showrooms in Brazil.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In October 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius exports hit $217 million, representing an 8% increase compared to the same month in 2024. For the first 10 months of the year, total export value has surpassed $1.8 billion, up 9% year-on-year. This growth demonstrates clear positive momentum for the pangasius industry, despite continued declines in certain markets.
In recent days, the Central provinces of Vietnam have been suffering from historic flooding, with prolonged heavy rains, landslides, flash floods, and deep inundation causing extremely serious impacts on tens of thousands of households, as well as many VASEP member exporters located in the region. With the spirit of mutual support and solidarity, and in order to promptly assist residents and member exporters in the affected areas to stabilize their lives and restore production activities, VASEP calls on all seafood exporters, organizations, and individuals to extend supports to the people and member exporters in the flood-hit areas. We urge timely and practical material and spiritual contributions to help member exporters and local communities in the severely affected provinces overcome this difficult period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the final days of October 2025, Vietnam’s domestic raw shrimp market remained generally stable, though slight adjustments were recorded in several sizes across key farming regions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 498 million in October 2025, up 26% from the same period last year. This is one of the highest monthly revenues since the beginning of the year, reflecting solid demand in major markets and faster shipment schedules by exporters. From January to October, shrimp export value reached USD 3.9 billion, up 22% compared to the same period in 2024.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 31, 2025, the US Court of International Trade (CIT) officially issued an order to suspend the case filed by the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), the National Restaurant Association (NRA), and several US seafood companies against the US Government concerning the implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) An Giang’s fisheries sector has maintained stable growth momentum during the first nine months of 2025, making an important contribution to the province’s socio-economic development. Despite facing numerous challenges, the province is implementing various measures to enhance production efficiency, expand markets, and promote sustainable fisheries development toward deeper integration into the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius export value in September 2025 reached USD 181 million, up 5% compared to the same period in 2024. The overall trend for the pangasius industry remains positive, with total exports in the first nine months of 2025 reaching nearly USD 1.6 billion, an increase of 9% year-on-year.
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