The FAO fish index, calculated separately, is moving in the opposite direction. After reaching its highest level in August 2011, the index has steadily fallen. The decline is the largest for salmon and shrimp whereas both tuna and the small pelagic category are higher today than last year. The explanation lies partly in the fact that capture fisheries are able to respond more quickly to demand changes whereas aquaculture, like agriculture, is bound by production decisions taken the previous season.
Because of this surge in aquaculture volumes, the FAO expects seafood export volumes to increase again in 2012, despite a fall in demand in some key markets.
According to the FAO, countries such as the US and Canada, China, Japan, Thailand, Australia and Brazil all saw the value of imports grow during the first six months of the year. Other markets, including Spain, France, Germany and Russia, registered a decline in imports as domestic consumer spending weakened.
Production has held up to some extent. Supply from many wild stocks is growing again as a result of more effective fisheries management and enforcement. This includes some pelagic catches in the Northern hemisphere and several groundfish stocks. At the same time, small pelagic catches in South America are drastically down because of lower quotas this year. There is also some indication that another El Niño may arrive at the end of 2012, or early 2013, resulting in a strong decline in small pelagic catches
The FAO sees problems continuing for aquaculture producers, as higher feed costs will occur at the same time that prices continue to fall. Their outlook for the year is uncertain.
‘Domestic demand in many markets is still strong, boosting local aquaculture production. International markets will weaken over the next quarter with a higher impact. Rising prices on a number of other protein sources including grain will cause food prices in general to increase. Feed prices generally are also expected to end higher. This will create additional problems for many producers in the aquaculture sector, leading to restructuring in a number of countries with larger and more integrated companies as a result.’
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
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
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