According to ITC, in the first four months of 2020, Vietnam was still the largest shrimp supplier to Japan, accounting for 26.5% of total shrimp imports into this country. Thailand ranked second with 16.7%, followed by Indonesia at 15.8% and India at 12.2%. The average price of shrimp imports from Vietnam and Thailand gets the highest levels, at US$11/kg and US$11.25/kg, respectively. In the top of major suppliers, Vietnam has to compete on price with other suppliers in this market (Indonesia: US$10.25/kg, India: US$8.96/kg ...).
For raw shrimp (HS code 030617) imports into Japan, the import tax for Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and India shrimp was equal to 0%, the import tax for shrimp of Argentina, and China was 1%. Before receiving preferential treatment from the trade agreements between Vietnam and Japan, Vietnamese shrimp products HS code 160521 and 160529 exports to Japan were taxed respectively 1.08% and 1.42%.
Notably, among the top staple suppliers, shrimp imports into Japan from India in the first four months of this year grew by 19%. In early April 2020, Japan reduced the frequency of tested samples for black tiger shrimp imports from India from 100% to 30% as the test no longer found furazolidone in shrimp lots from India. This is a good opportunity for Indian shrimp processors to increase exports to Japan. To date, Japan consumes nearly 40% of India's total export of black tiger shrimp. As such, Vietnamese shrimp will have to compete more with Indian shrimp in this market.
According to the data of Vietnam Customs, Japan was the largest shrimp importer of Vietnam, accounting for 21% of the total export value of Vietnamese shrimp to markets. In the first four months of 2020, Vietnam's shrimp exports to Japan reached nearly US$180.5 million, up 11% over the same period in 2019. In the first four months of 2020, Vietnam's shrimp exports to Japan grew sharply in February 2020 with 63.2% and April 2020 with 19%, exports in January, and March declined slightly.
For many years, Vietnam has maintained its No. 1 position in shrimp supply to Japan thanks to its advantages over other suppliers in the Japanese market. The ASEAN-Japan Free Trade Agreement (AJCEP) came into force on December 1, 2008, and the Vietnam-Japan Bilateral Free Trade Agreement (VJEPA) came into force on October 1, 2009. These agreements helped create favorable conditions for tariffs on Vietnam's seafood exports to Japan. Shrimp exports to Japan are more conducive when CPTPP takes effect from January 2019.
2020 is considered to be the second year the Japanese economy grows low. The real GDP of the Japanese economy is expected to grow by only 0.49% in the fiscal year kick-off in April 2020. Trade tensions with South Korea, the political situation in the US continue to affect the Japanese economy. It is unlikely that Japan will increase its seafood consumption demand, including shrimp in 2020. It is expected that Vietnam's shrimp exports to Japan will not increase in 2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia industry is maintaining strong growth momentum, with significant room for further expansion in the coming years. In 2025, total tilapia production reached approximately 420,000 tonnes, up 33% from 2024 and 2.2 times higher than in 2015. During 2015–2025, production grew at an average annual rate of around 8.4%. As production and exports continue to expand, food safety control is receiving increasing attention to ensure product quality, meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international markets, and provide a foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(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.
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