Opportunity to increase seafood exports
On August 24, the General Administration of Customs of China issued a ban with immediate effect on all seafood products imported from Japan, in order to prevent risks from "Japan discharges nuclear-contaminated wastewater" into the Pacific Ocean. Currently, China is Japan's largest seafood consumption market.
Since July, China has banned the import of food, especially seafood, from 10/47 provinces of Japan, including Fukushima, and strictly inspected documents related to food imported from the remaining prefectures. China has also publicly criticized the plan to release wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, Japan.
According to data from the General Administration of Customs of China, in the first 7 months of the year, China spent 320 million USD to import seafood from Japan, up 9% over the same period last year. Although Vietnam's market share in China is larger than Japan's (4.1% vs. 3.6%), it has declined from 10% last year, whereas Japan's share has risen from 1.5% to 3.6% this year.
The commodity that China imports the most from Japan is bivalve molluscs (eg clams, oysters) with an important turnover of 152 million USD, occupying about 50% of the total import turnover
China's ban on seafood imports has raised the question of whether Vietnam's seafood exports will benefit?
Mr. Truong Dinh Hoe, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said that China's ban on Japanese seafood imports would have psychological effects. There is no scientific basis to confirm that wastewater release from Japan's nuclear power plants, even though it has been treated, is still harmful to human health.
"However, Chinese people's psychology may be hesitant to consume even domestically caught seafood in some waters near Japan. Therefore, China's demand for imported seafood will decrease from countries including Vietnam," said Mr. Hoe.
Not only in China, Mr. Hoe said that Korean people are also afraid to consume domestically caught seafood because some areas are close to the waste discharge area of Japan.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Sac, Chairwomen of VASEP, said this move from Japan makes customers from China and Korea reduce imports from this country. This means they will have to increase imports from other sources, which is obviously a market principle. China is a densely populated country, so when they have a shortage of seafood supply from a certain country, they are forced to switch to other sources such as Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia ... ".
However, not all seafood products of Vietnam will benefit and shrimp products are an example. According to Mr. Ho Quoc Luc, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sao Ta Food Joint Stock Company (Code: FMC), Japan does not export shrimp to China. Japan itself also has to import shrimp, especially highly processed, high value-added shrimp products from Vietnam and Thailand.
According to data from VASEP, in the first 7 months of this year, Vietnam's seafood export turnover reached 2 billion USD, down 15% over the same period last year. In which, China ranked 4th in seafood import markets of Vietnam with a turnover of 183 million USD, down 7% over the same period last year.
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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