In the structure of exported cephalopod products, squid accounted for 54.6% and octopus accounted for 45.4%. In the first quarter of this year, the export value of squid increased by 40% while octopus increased by 29% compared to the same period in 2021. Import demand for processed cephalopod products tended to increase strongly.
Export value of squid products all increased; in which, dried/grilled squids and fresh/frozen squids increased by 33% and 38% respectively. Notably, the export value of processed squid recorded the strongest increase of 99% compared to the same period last year.
The top 5 largest cephalopod import markets include South Korea, Japan, China & Hongkong, Thailand, the EU, the US, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Israel, accounting for 98.4% of the total export value of Vietnam’s cephalopod.
In the above major markets in QI/2022, exports to China & Hongkong experienced the highest growth of 143%. Exports to Japan increased by 50%, exports to South Korea and to the EU increased by 16% and 47% respectively. However, exports to Thailand fell slightly by 0.4%.
South Korea is the largest import market of Vietnam's cephalopod, accounting for 35% of the total export value. In QI/2022, cephalopod exports to this market reached over 55 million USD, up 16%. In the structure of cephalopod products exported to South Korea, the export value of processed squid recorded the strongest increase of 123%, but processed octopus exports decreased by 7%.
According to the data of the International Trade Center (ITC), in the first two months of this year, South Korea's cephalopod imports reached 127 million USD, a decrease of 12% over the same period last year. Vietnam is South Korea’s second largest supplier of cephalopod, after China.
Japan ranked second in importing cephalopod from Vietnam, accounting for 23% of the total export value. In the first quarter of this year, cephalopod exports to Japan reached 36 million USD, up 50% over the same period last year. In the structure of cephalopod products exported to Japan, the export value of processed octopus increased the most by 151%. However, the exports of dried/grilled squids decreased by 97%.
In the next quarter, cephalopod exports are expected to maintain the growth momentum. However, the lack of raw materials and fishing activities affected by high gasoline prices are still the challenges that businesses have to face in the coming time.
Compiled by Phuong Linh
(vasep.com.vn) On November 11, 2026, in Can Tho, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will organize the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029: Opportunities and Headroom for Double-Digit Export Growth.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Business leader Do Ngoc Tai, General Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, was honored by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with the title “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur – Thanh Giong Cup 2026” at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). The event took place on the evening of October 11, 2026, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.
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(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK grew in the first eight months of 2026, despite signs of slowing import demand in the market. However, sharp fluctuations in orders, competition from major suppliers, and new traceability requirements are creating challenges for Vietnamese exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam is stepping up efforts to combat illegal fishing, protect marine ecosystems, expand digital monitoring, and develop science-based management to ensure the sea can support communities and the economy for generations to come.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The EU remains a critical market for Vietnamese shrimp; however, purchasing demand and import patterns are undergoing notable changes. According to Vietnam Customs data, as of September 15, 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU reached nearly $374 million, down 5% year-over-year and accounting for 10.7% of the country’s total shrimp export value. Meanwhile, the EU’s stotal shrimp imports through July 2026 contracted by 7% in volume, exhibiting divergent trends across Southern Europe, Northwestern Europe and Eastern Europe. These dynamics necessitate that Vietnamese enterprises closely monitor individualized market demand, rather than approaching the EU as a monolithic consumer block.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of surimi and fish cakes remained relatively stable year-over-year compared to 2025. Following a contraction in the initial months, export performance demonstrated improvement from June onward, peaking in August. However, the recovery has been uneven, characterized by divergent trends across major markets: robust growth was recorded in China, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan, whereas export volumes to South Korea, Indonesia, and select European markets contracted.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains one of Dong Thap’s key aquaculture species, with the province focusing on developing an integrated value chain covering seed production, commercial farming, deep processing and by-product utilization. The province is promoting high-tech, circular pangasius farming models featuring reduced water exchange and enhanced biosecurity, aiming to improve production efficiency and strengthen control over raw material quality.
(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.
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