This year, exports of whiteleg shrimp continues growing considerably, as Vietnamese farmers expanded lands for the species farming after bumper and profitable harvests in 2013. The Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reports that the production of brackish water shrimp is better than the previous months. Many provinces in Mekong Delta increase superficies for shrimp breeding. In the first quarter of 2014, some provinces got high shrimp output: Kien Giang (black tiger shrimp: 82,046 hectares, 2,331 MT; whiteleg shrimp: 804 hectares, 2,038 MT), Bac Lieu (black tiger shrimp: 98,889 hectares, 9,608 MT; whiteleg shrimp: 1,911 hectares, 1,592 MT), Ca Mau (black tiger shrimp: 263,735 hectares, 20,460 MT; whiteleg shrimp: 3,000 hectares, 8,540 MT).
Through February 2014, Vietnam exported US$497 million of shrimp products, up 105 percent year on year. Earnings from sales of whiteleg shrimp products were US$303 million, up 228 percent year on year. Black tiger shrimp items brought back US$161 million, up 27 percent.
Pangasius saw a strong recovery in February, increasing the year-to-date exports by 8.5 percent year on year to US$275 million. In Q.I/2014, land for pangasius production in Mekong Delta is expected to be 5,400 hectares, providing total output of 382,000 MT. Most main producing provinces reported downing fish aquaculture, including Vinh Long with 421 hectares (-2.3 percent), Dong Thap with 1,052 hectares (-2.9 percent). However, some of them had higher pangasius output: Dong Thap 57,633 MT (+7.3 percent); Can Tho 15,920 MT (+58.41 percent).
Though fishermen saw positive signs in fishing activities in the first months of the year with high fish catches, landings of tuna – the key marine fish for export – went down. Through March 2014, fish catches were estimated to reach 686,000 MT, up 5.4 percent year on year. Phu Yen caught 13,100 MT, down 1,9 percent; 1,700 MT of which were ocean tuna, down 40.4 percent. Binh Dinh caught 33,600 MT, up 18.3 percent; 2,237 MT of which were ocean tuna, up 7.4 percent. Khanh Hoa got 15,018 MT, including 1,866 MT of tuna.
Tuna sales abroad decreased 25 percent year on year to US$73 million through February. The strong drop was seen in fresh/frozen tuna of HS03 (-53 percent in February; -34 percent in the first two months of 2014).
The March seafood exports are expected to keep steady growth, as sales of whiteleg shrimp and pangasius are recovering. Sales of raw tuna continue to fall down due to lower landings.
|
Vietnam seafood exports, Jan – Feb 2014 (USD mil.) |
|||||
|
Products |
January 2014 (Value) |
February 2014 (Value) |
Variation (%) |
Jan – Feb 2014 |
Variation (%) |
|
Shrimps (HS code 03 and16) |
258.640 |
238.844 |
+156.3 |
497.484 |
+105.3 |
|
- Whiteleg shrimp |
157.647 |
145.200 |
+305.2 |
302.848 |
+228.4 |
|
- Black tiger shrimp |
80.647 |
80.760 |
+60.9 |
161.407 |
+27.4 |
|
Pangasius (HS code 03 and 16) |
156.970 |
118.065 |
+30.9 |
275.035 |
+8.5 |
|
Tuna (HS code 03 and 16) |
42.455 |
30.723 |
-39.3 |
73.178 |
-25.7 |
|
- Tuna (HS code 16) |
16.473 |
13.602 |
-1.7 |
30.075 |
-9.0 |
|
- Tuna (HS code 03) |
25.982 |
17.121 |
-53.5 |
43.103 |
-34.2 |
|
Other seafood products (HS code 0301 to 0305 and 1604, exclude tuna and pangasius) |
76.654 |
43.286 |
+26.9 |
119.941 |
+13.3 |
|
Cephalopod (HS code 0307 and 16) |
39.801 |
22.855 |
+15.9 |
62.656 |
-5.3 |
|
- Cephalopod |
34.723 |
18.080 |
+22.8 |
52.803 |
-3.4 |
|
- Bivalve mollusk |
5.044 |
4.762 |
+1.9 |
9.807 |
-12.1 |
|
Crab, swimming crab and other crustaceans (HS code 03 and 16) |
8.971 |
3.937 |
-1.1 |
12.908 |
+5.2 |
|
Total |
583.593 |
457.711 |
+56.8 |
1,041.202 |
+33.7 |
(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.
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