In the period from 2007 to 2017, Vietnam's total seafood export value to the Middle East market averaged US$300 million per year. Seafood exports to this market reached the highest in 2014 with over US$328 million thanks to the dollar appreciation and reached the lowest in 2007 with US$78 million. From 2007 to 2012, seafood exports to this market continued to grow. From 2013 to 2017, exports to this market fluctuated.
In 2017, the top 5 biggest seafood importers of Vietnam in the region included Israel (US$75 million), Saudi Arabia (US$65 million), UAE (US$45.5 million), Egypt (US$31.4 million) and Iraq (US$10 million).
Fisheries products are consistently put in the top 5 export items of Vietnam in the Middle East. Seafood products for exports to this market mainly included pangasius, shrimp and some canned marine products such as tuna, sardine, mackerel and some other dried fish. Vietnamese pangasius has had a foothold and created trust for consumers in the region.
Pangasius, shrimp, tuna are the main seafood export to the Middle East market in which pangasius accounts for the highest proportion. In 2017, pangasius exports took up 30% and tuna exports accounted for 18% of the total seafood exports to the Middle East.
From 2007 to 2017, the proportion of pangasius decreased from 73% to 47%, the proportion of shrimp increased from 11% to 18% and the proportion of tuna increased from 9% to 30%. The proportion of pangasius exported to this market tends to decrease while that of tuna is increasing; the proportion of shrimp increased from 2007 to 2015, but from 2016 to now it tends to decrease.
Saudi Arabia is Vietnam's largest pangasius buyer in the Middle East
Pangasius always accounts for the highest proportion of fisheries products exported to the Middle East with an average share of about 60% from 2007 to 2017. From 2007 to 2017, Vietnam mainly exported frozen pangasius fillets (HS code 0304) to the Middle East, while exports of processed pangasius (HS code 16) still accounted for a very small proportion.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE are the three biggest importers of Vietnamese pangasius, of which Saudi Arabia had the lowest starting point but fastest growth rate in the area.
According to ITC statistics, Vietnam is the largest and only supplier of pangasius to Saudi Arabia. Imports of this item into the country recorded the good growth. In 2016, pangasius imports made up the largest share of Saudi Arabia’s whitefish imports, followed by tilapia meat (HS code 030493); frozen tilapia (HS code 030323), fresh/chilled tilapia (HS code 030271). In addition, this market also imports some other whitefish products such as fresh/chilled hake (HS code 030254), frozen cod (HS code 030363) and Alaska pollock meat (HS code 030494).
In 2016, Vietnam was the largest supplier of whitefish to Saudi Arabia, accounting for 43% of total imports, followed by Myanmar, Egypt, Taiwan, Bangladesh and Thailand.
Due to difficulties, technical barriers to trade in large markets such as the U.S and the EU, many exporters have shifted to other markets such as Americas, Asia and Saudi Arabia.
The Middle East prefers canned tuna
Middle East is currently the best choice for canned tuna exporters in the context of canned tuna consumption in traditional markets such as the U.S and the EU stayed stagnant. Demand in the Middle East has been steadily increasing over the past few years thanks to the continuous growth of food imports from agriculture into the region, particularly among GCC members, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the UAE.
Middle East consumes an average of 200,000 MT of canned tuna each year. Top leading consumers in the region included Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Thailand is the biggest supplier of tuna to the Middle Eastern markets. However, because of an increase in tuna prices in Bangkok, the Middle East countries tend to look for other alternative markets while the demand for canned tuna in this market is increasing.
In the context of seafood exports to traditional markets such as Europe and South America to decrease, the Middle East is one of the potential markets for seafood exporters of Vietnam in the coming time.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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