Asian market – The key market
Asian markets continue to be the main growth driver of the industry’s growth. By the end of August 2025, South Korea and Thailand remained the largest single markets, with export values of $56 million and $53 million respectively. These markets not only consume directly but also serve as reprocessing hubs supplying neighboring regions, ensuring stable demand.
The CPTPP bloc also recorded an impressive 24% growth, reaching $37 million. Exports to the key importing markets are performing strongly. Notably, Japan remains one of the top importers with nearly $21 million, up 22% year-on-year. This reflects a strong recovery in demand for Vietnam’s traditional and high-quality processed products.
However, this group of markets also saw some minor fluctuations in the past month, as exports to South Korea saw an unexpected slight decline of just over 2% compared to the same period last year.
EU and China – Emerging growth
The most remarkable highlight in the export picture of the first 8 months is the strong surge in the EU and China markets.
Exports to the EU skyrocketed by 60%, reaching nearly $20 million. Economic recovery and easing inflation have boosted demand for mid-priced, convenient processed products. Leading this growth is Lithuania, with imports soaring by 69%. This impressive growth shows that Vietnamese enterprises have effectively leveraged the advantages of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
Meanwhile, China and Hong Kong market also demonstrated tremendous potential with a 50% growth, reaching a value of $31 million. The increasing demand for consumption and reprocessing in this billion-population market is opening up significant opportunities for Vietnamese exporters.
In contrast, the U.S market remained sluggish, growing only 2% over 8 months with exports of just under $7 million, reflecting challenges from tariff policies and cautious sentiment among importers.
Outlook and challenges
Overall, the outlook for Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi industry in the final months of the year is highly positive. Global consumption trends are increasingly favoring convenient, affordable alternative protein products, which are strengths of surimi.
Asian markets are expected to remain the main growth driver due to stable demand and flexible pricing. At the same time, recovery in the EU is expected to persist, focusing on convenient products aligned with cost-saving consumption trends.
However, the industry also faces significant challenges. Price competition from regional rivals such as India, Thailand and China is intensifying. In addition, rising logistics and raw material costs, along with increasingly stringent import requirements, demand that Vietnamese enterprises continuously enhance quality and competitiveness to sustain long-term growth.
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) officially announces that the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place from August 19–21, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports recorded strong growth in the first half of 2026, but the performance was increasingly uneven across products, markets and enterprises. VASEP’s newly released premium report provides the detailed data and analysis needed to understand what lies behind the headline figures and prepare for the more challenging months ahead.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Brazil remains one of the key markets for Vietnamese pangasius in South America. However, exports to the market showed signs of slowing in the first half of 2026, while frozen pangasius fillets continued to account for the overwhelming majority of exports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Marking 27 years of supporting Vietnam’s seafood industry, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (VIETFISH 2026) will officially return from August 19–21, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, on its largest scale ever. Under the core theme “Innovation – Sustainability,” the event promises to provide a comprehensive picture of the transformation of Vietnam’s seafood industry toward greater value addition and sustainable development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than three weeks remaining, the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially take place from August 19–21, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the theme "Innovation – Sustainability," Vietfish 2026 will provide a comprehensive networking platform for seafood businesses, buyers, distributors, industry experts, government agencies, and domestic and international visitors.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the technical seminar “Green and Sustainable Technology Solutions for the Aquaculture and Seafood Processing Value Chain” will take place from 09:30 to 11:45 on August 20, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. The seminar is jointly organized by VASEP, the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Vietnam, focusing on technological innovation and sustainable transformation across Vietnam’s seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Market fluctuations, rising production costs, and increasingly stringent requirements from export markets are placing growing pressure on the shrimp industry. In response, Vinh Long Province is promoting high-tech shrimp farming integrated with production–consumption value chains to improve efficiency, reduce risks, and enhance the industry's value.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports to Japan posted strong growth in the first half of 2026, while a promising new trend has emerged in the value-added product segment. Notably, Vietnamese tilapia fillets have been exported to Japan for use in sushi and sashimi, creating new opportunities to enhance the value of the industry in one of the world's most demanding seafood markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a relatively sluggish first quarter, Vietnam's exports of fish cakes and surimi showed a clearer recovery in the second quarter, particularly in June. Export value in the first six months of 2026 reached USD 148 million, down 2% year on year. However, the newly imposed 12.5% additional U.S. tariff on Vietnamese goods, intensifying competition in Northeast Asia, and increasingly stringent traceability requirements in the EU are making the outlook for the second half of the year more uncertain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In June 2026, Vietnam's shrimp exports reached nearly USD 458 million, up 24% year-on-year. In the first six months of 2026, export value totaled USD 2.35 billion, an increase of 14.2% compared with the same period last year. Growth was driven mainly by the Chinese market and the strong performance of lobster exports, while shrimp exports continued to face pressure from U.S. tariffs and rising logistics costs.
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
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
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Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn