VASEP said at a meeting in HCMC on Aug 2nd 2016 that to fulfill export orders, Vietnam last year had to spend roughly US$1 billion importing unprocessed seafood from 84 markets, with shrimp accounting for 40% of the total.
VASEP chairman Ngo Van Ich said importing more unprocessed seafood is essential to realize the export target of US$10 billion by 2020.
The association said climate change has dealt a blow to aquaculture this year. The area under tiger and white-leg prawn farming has been hit hard, leading to a plunge in output. Therefore, many local processors have relied on shrimp from foreign sources.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, brackish water shrimp output in the Mekong Delta dipped in the first six months, leading prices to go up. Many processing plants ran at 50-60% capacity in the period due to material shortages.
In the second half, shrimp and pangasius output is projected to slide due to unfavorable weather conditions.
The import price of unprocessed shrimp is US$1-2 per kilogram lower than that of local shrimp, so firms will buy shrimp overseas to raise the competitiveness of their products on foreign markets.
Local seafood companies have imported unprocessed shrimp from India and tuna from the Philippines and Indonesia.
Due to an undersupply of unprocessed shrimp, VASEP has revised down its forecast for shrimp exports by US$300 million to US$3 billion this year.
VASEP secretary general Truong Dinh Hoe was quoted by the Vietnam News Agency as saying that the recent saltwater intrusion would send down shrimp supply in the remaining months of this year.
Hoe said shrimp shipments to the U.S. climbed by 13.8% in the first six months, to China and Hong Kong by 41.8%, and the European Union (EU) by 6.5%.
However, exports fell by 9% a year-on-year from Japan, which made up 17.1% of Vietnam’s total shrimp exports in the first half.
Vietnam accounts for 12.4% of the total shrimp imports into the U.S., ranking fourth after Indonesia, India and Thailand. Exports to the choosy market are expected to jump after the Ministry of Industry and Trade clinched an agreement on anti-dumping duty on shrimp imports from Vietnam with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative.
This year, Vietnam has sold shrimp to 75 markets, down from 81 in 2015. The top 10 importers are the U.S., the EU, Japan, China, South Korea, Canada, Australia, ASEAN, Taiwan, and Switzerland. These markets account for 95% of Vietnam’s total shrimp exports.
Seafood exports brought US$3.15 billion in the January-June period, up 4% year-on-year. Of the total, shrimp contributed US$1.4 billion, rising by nearly 5% versus the year-earlier period.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 81 million in April 2026, down 6% compared to the same period in 2025. In the first four months of the year, export turnover totaled USD 289 million, down 4.8%. Although the overall export picture has yet to brighten significantly, market trends are becoming increasingly diversified rather than moving in a single direction.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is undergoing strong restructuring starting from the broodstock and fingerling segment in order to improve productivity, quality, and export competitiveness. This is considered a critical foundation for the sustainable development of the industry amid rising production costs and increasingly stringent market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs data, pangasius exports in April 2026 reached USD 206 million, up 18% compared to the same period in 2025 — marking another consecutive month of double-digit growth since the beginning of the year. Cumulative pangasius export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 720 million, up 17% year-on-year, reflecting the positive growth momentum of this key export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the first four months of 2026 maintained positive growth momentum, reaching approximately USD 1.5 billion, up 15% compared to the same period last year. However, behind this result lies diverging trends across markets, as the global shrimp industry continues to face pressure from inflation, high inventories, price competition, and increasing trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Vinh Tuy commune (Kien Giang Province), many shrimp farmers are adopting bottom aeration systems and reporting clear economic benefits, helping increase income and reduce production risks.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of crabs and other crustaceans reached more than USD 93 million, up 23% compared to the same period last year. The result shows that the sector is experiencing a fairly positive recovery, especially in its two key product groups: crabs and swimming crabs. However, behind the growth figures are several concerns: export markets remain highly concentrated, raw material supply is unstable, and trade barriers from the US and EU are becoming increasingly stringent.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Ca Mau province, many farmers are transitioning from traditional methods to high-tech shrimp farming, adopting recirculating systems with minimal water exchange to improve efficiency and reduce risks. In Hung My commune alone, there are about 260 super-intensive shrimp farming households covering more than 265 hectares, playing a key role in local economic development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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