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.
(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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU maintained positive growth momentum in 2025, several new regulations related to animal welfare are transitioning from “ethical recommendations” to mandatory requirements, likely reshaping the shrimp supply chain for this market from 2026 onwards.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached $989.5 million in November 2025, up 64.6% year-on-year. The robust monthly performance played a pivotal role in driving the total export turnover for the first 11 months of 2025 to $10.5 billion, representing a 19% increase compared with the same period in 2024.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s crab exports reached USD 81 million in the first 11 months of 2025, with the United States accounting for more than 82% of total value. While newly imposed reciprocal tariffs and the enforcement of provisions under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) pose significant challenges for Vietnam, the European Union is emerging as a promising growth market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Ca Mau Department of Agriculture and Environment has recently issued a plan to develop specialized crab raw material zones serving official export channels, covering a scale of around 50,000 hectares. This marks a significant shift in the sea crab industry towards professional production aligned with market requirements.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn