Germany led with USD 96 million (+23%), followed by Belgium (USD 79 million, +20%) and the Netherlands (USD 74 million, +3%). France recovered with USD 23 million (+14%), while Denmark rose to USD 25 million (+9%). The data reflect diverging trends: Germany, Belgium, France, and Denmark are expanding retail channels, while the Netherlands focuses more on re-exports.
EU shrimp demand heading toward record levels Eurostat data show the EU imported 342,509 tons of shrimp from Asia, Latin America, and Africa in the first 7 months of 2025, up 15% year-on-year, worth EUR 2.28 billion (+19%). Frozen raw shrimp remained dominant (217,700 tons, +21%), while value-added products also grew (31,602 tons, +21%), driven by both foodservice and retail demand. Full-year imports are forecast to approach 400,000 tons, the highest in years, creating major opportunities for suppliers including Vietnam. France is expected to import 111,000 tons in 2025, nearly matching Spain (120,000 tons), opening prospects in Southern Europe’s retail and restaurant sectors.
Ecuador and India: Vietnam’s main rivals Ecuador continued to dominate with 140,055 tons (+38%) shipped to the EU in 7 months, while India ranked second with 50,860 tons (+25%). Vietnam followed with 30,715 tons (+19%), equivalent to EUR 240 million (+22%). Ecuador’s surge in both volume and value-added products is intensifying competition in Vietnam’s core segments. Meanwhile, India has pivoted toward the EU after the US imposed high duties in late August 2025, but faces strict EU antibiotic regulations effective September 2026—a potential “window of opportunity” for Vietnam.
Outlook for late 2025 With 17% growth through August and positive demand prospects, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU are expected to rise 12–15% year-on-year in the remaining months, lifting full-year value 15–18% above 2024. Germany, Belgium, and France will continue to drive growth, while the Netherlands maintains a stable transit role. Key product groups include peeled vannamei, convenient processed shrimp, and certified sustainable black tiger shrimp—segments less exposed to direct competition from Ecuador and India.
Strategic directions for Vietnamese exporters To sustain and expand market share, Vietnamese exporters need to compete on quality, transparency, and sustainability rather than price. Certifications such as ASC, organic, and carbon-smart are becoming essential for EU retail access. Targeting Germany, Belgium, France, and Denmark will help optimize resources in high-value markets, while diversifying value-added products (cooked-peeled, rings, marinated, ready-to-eat) will enhance competitiveness.
At the same time, exporters should proactively strengthen antibiotic controls, exceeding EU requirements ahead of 2026, to reinforce European buyers’ trust. Flexible export contracts with price-adjustment mechanisms, rational delivery schedules, and partnerships with green retail chains will also improve resilience. Digital traceability can further enhance positioning.
As EU demand surges, Vietnam has opportunities to consolidate its presence. Yet, fierce competition from Ecuador and India and stricter sustainability standards demand agile strategies. Vietnam’s strength lies not in low prices but in quality, product storytelling, and compliance beyond standards—the keys to defending and expanding its share in this demanding yet promising market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first six months of 2026 indicate that Vietnam’s tilapia industry is entering a new phase of development, with strong export growth but also greater demands for production scale, quality and international competitiveness.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Fishermen in Ha Tinh are gradually overcoming difficulties to maintain the efficiency of seafood exploitation. In the first six months of 2026, the entire province achieved a production of more than 23,000 tons of seafood, worth more than 1,200 billion VND.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) June 2026 brought encouraging signs for Vietnam's tuna exports, with export value rising 20% year-on-year to nearly USD 72 million. However, this increase has yet to offset the prolonged slowdown seen in key markets such as the European Union (EU), where import demand remains weak. The outlook for the second half of the year is expected to become more challenging as freight rates continue to climb.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in collaboration with the Agency for Domestic Market Management and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will organize the Domestic Seafood Supply–Demand Matching Program on the morning of August 20, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City. The program aims to foster direct business connections between Vietnamese seafood producers and processors and domestic distributors, retailers, and foodservice channels.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Cooking Show will be one of the most engaging experiential highlights of Vietfish 2026. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, 2026, at Hall B1, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, the event will offer visitors a vibrant culinary space where Vietnamese seafood is showcased through its flavors, stories, and real-life culinary applications.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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