Representatives of the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP) put forward several proposals at a meeting with committee officials held in Can Tho City, seeking ways to help the fisheries sector recover and meet its export potential.
VASEP general secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said at the meeting that in the first nine months of the year, over 600 enterprises involved in seafood exports recorded a combined export value of more than US$4.5 billion, a modest increase of 4.3 per cent over the corresponding period last year.
The export growth was not as much as expected, Hoe said, adding, "the main reason is that both farmers and processors are facing many difficulties, including a serious shortage of capital, raw materials and markets."
Of these, capital shortage is the biggest problem since it seriously affects the entire fishery industry's business and production activities, he said.
The Government and the central bank have helped with several measures including lower interest rates and restructuring of old debts, but very few farmers and enterprises have benefited from them, he added.
In the first six months of this year, 40,000ha of shrimp ponds, accounting for 6.49 per cent of the total area in the Cuu Long (
To continue farming after suffering such losses, farmers and small and medium enterprises really need soft loans from the banks.
However, most of them are unable to meet the strict requirements imposed by banks, including not having any bad debt, having feasible business projects, and assets used as collateral.
Complicated lending procedures are also a part of the problem.
For instance, farmers are asked to show sales and purchase invoices before a loan agreement can be signed, while Vietnamese farmers typically engage in "hand-to-hand selling and buying."
At present, the lending interest rates for borrowers in the fisheries industry have been cut to under 11 per cent per year, but this is still expensive for farmers, given their financial capacity. The rates are also higher than in many countries in the region, making Vietnamese seafood less competitive.
Hoe suggested that the South West Steering Committee petitions the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) to create conditions for farmers and enterprises involved in producing and processing seafood for export to get easier access to short-term loans in foreign currencies that carry low interest rates.
Nguyen Phong Quang, deputy head of the committee, agreed with Hoe's suggestion, saying it was a rational move considering the difficult situation that the industry is facing.
"The committee will make a proposal to the SBV asking it to delay application of the new circular that aims to tighten lending in foreign currencies by credit institutions until the end of 2013 so that seafood processors can access this cheap capital channel," said Quang.
The central bank on March 8 had issued a circular under which foreign currency loans for importing goods and services would be given only if borrowers demonstrate they have sufficient foreign currency to repay the loans.
"Foreign currency loans now have an interest rate of only 4 per cent per year, much lower than the dong loans' 11 per cent," he said.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?
(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.
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