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) After a fairly strong upward trend in 2025, Vietnam’s clam exports entered 2026 with a mixed picture: strong growth at the beginning of the year, followed by a slowdown from March onward. According to Vietnam Customs data, Vietnam’s clam export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached more than USD 38 million, up 2% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
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