The chance has come
Chair of the Thai Shrimp Association Somsak Paneetatayasai said Thai shrimp exports in 2013 may decrease sharply by 50 percent due to the EMS. Only 20-30 percent of shrimp ponds in the country still keep operation.
The EMS began having big influences to the shrimp hatchery industry of the country in 2012, with the syndrome infected by both black tiger and white leg shrimps.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the sharp decline in Thai shrimp exports has made the frozen shrimp prices in the US and Europe surge by 20 percent in recent months and double over the last two years. The price in Japan has also increased by $5.5 per kilo.
Tran Huu Loc, who found the causes of EMS, said the epidemic has reached out to Mexico, and if it is spread out in South America, the shrimp prices would be increasing even more sharply.
Meanwhile, in Vietnam, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) have affirmed that the percentage of dead shrimps has decreased significantly due to the lower farming density.
Japan has raised the permitted ceiling Trifluralin residue level for the shrimp imports from Vietnam from 0,001ppm to 0,5ppm, which has helped the Vietnam’s shrimp exports to Japan in the first five months increase by 3.6 percent.
Vietnamese exporters have found new markets in South America, the Middle East and Asia. China remains the third biggest importer. In the first five months of the year, Vietnam exported $108.5 million worth of shrimps to the market, up by 17.9 percent over the same period of the last year.
The shrimp epidemics in South East Asia have forced the regional countries to increase the imports to satisfy the domestic market and the processing for export. Therefore, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to ASEAN countries have increased by 15.5 percent.
Danger is over, difficulties exist
2012 was the most difficult time of the shrimp farming industry. With the capital burning out and debts burdening, a lot of farmers had to give up farming because they could not access bank loans.
Thanh Tra newspaper reported that 30,000 hectares of shrimp farming area in Mekong River Delta suffered from the epidemics. Local farmers now need at least VND900 billion worth of capital to resume the hatchery.
Besides, Vietnam also needs more capital to develop the shrimp growing areas and carry out trade promotion campaigns in new markets. It is expected that Vietnam needs $70-100 million a month to import shrimp materials.
Though Vietnam has successfully controlled EMS, farmers are still facing a lot of difficulties. VASEP’s Secretary General Truong Dinh Hoe has called for urgent preferences to fulfill the plan on exporting $2.4 billion worth of shrimps in 2013.
VASEP has proposed to lower the shrimp material import tariff to zero percent and asked banks to restructure debts and continue providing loans.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in September 2026 are estimated at US$1.135 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, bringing total exports in the first nine months of the year to US$9.103 billion, up 11.4%. Behind this double-digit growth, however, increasingly divergent market trends are emerging: China–Hong Kong and ASEAN posted strong growth, while the U.S., EU and Japan all recorded declines in September.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Brazil became the largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, with export value reaching US$44 million, up 22,142% year-on-year and accounting for 49% of Vietnam’s total tilapia exports. In August alone, exports to Brazil reached US$4 million. However, behind this remarkable growth is a market that is imposing increasingly stringent requirements on imported supplies.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports sustained their upward trajectory in August 2026, though the pace remained modest at just 2%. The month saw divergent trends across key markets: the US maintained its leading position, Japan and Canada improved, Russia surged and the EU continued to experience a steep downturn. These developments suggest that exporters are entering the final months of the year amid a market environment marked by greater uncertainty.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Congalsa has acquired the entire charter capital of Lenger Seafood Vietnam, giving it full ownership of the business and its Nam Dinh processing facility.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ninh Binh Province is entering a peak period of action against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, focusing on thoroughly addressing violations, closely monitoring fishing vessels at ports and preventing vessels from violating regulations and operating illegally in foreign waters ahead of the European Commission’s (EC) upcoming inspection in 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) The application of biotechnology in seed production is increasingly viewed as a strategic imperative to upgrade pangasius fingerling quality, optimize farming efficiency and anchor sustainable industry development.
(vasep.com.vn) On September 15, 2026, in Can Tho, VASEP and ASC jointly organized a training course titled “New ASC standards: updates and practical implementation guidance for farms, businesses and aquafeed mills”. Beyond briefing stakeholders on updated ASC requirements for aquaculture facilities and feed production, the workshop dedicated substantial floor time to directly addressing on-the-ground compliance bottlenecks encountered by Vietnamese enterprises.
(searfood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports continued to post positive results in the first eight months of 2026, with total export value reaching US$90 million, up 43% year-on-year. However, exports in August alone stood at US$11 million, down 8%, reflecting uneven market developments. Brazil remained the leading market, while Japan recorded notable growth, opening up new opportunities for Vietnamese tilapia products.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.3 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 12% year on year. However, growth has begun to slow and become more differentiated across markets, while the U.S. and EU continue to present significant challenges. The latest insights from the Global Shrimp Forum 2026 (GSF 2026), held in early September, also indicate that the final months of the year will remain highly competitive as global supply continues to expand and buyers increasingly focus on quality, product specifications, supply stability and the ability to meet market-specific demand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In August 2026, Vietnam’s seafood exports reached $1.14 billion, up 6% year on year. Cumulative eight-month exports rose 11.8% to $8.00 billion, though momentum has cooled compared to the 12.8% growth seen through July. China - Hong Kong and ASEAN are offsetting weakness in the U.S, EU and partly Japan. This divergence will likely widen in Q4 as trade tariffs and traceability requirements directly weigh on new orders.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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