The most imported seafood products into the UAE are frozen whiteleg and black tiger shrimp, processed/preserved tuna, skipjack and Atlantic tuna, fresh/chilled Atlantic salmon, Danube salmon and other frozen fish like pangasius.
Following the general decline trend in the world market, Vietnam's seafood exports to the UAE in the first half of 2023 plummeted by over 50%, reaching more than 17 million USD. In which, exports of pangasius and black tiger shrimp all decreased by over 50%, whiteleg shrimp suffered the most with a staggering 73% decline.
Vietnam pangasius holds a prominent role in the frozen fish fillets segment in the UAE, accounting for 40-50% of the market share
Each year, Vietnam exports about 22-24 thousand tons of seafood to the UAE, with a value ranging from 50-70 million USD, showing that there is still a lot of room in this potential market. Especially in the frozen fish fillets segment (HS code 0304), Vietnam holds a prominent position as Vietnam’s pangasius products occupy 40-50% of the market share in the UAE.
However, Vietnam only ranked 5th in among main shrimp suppliers in this market. Vietnamese shrimp products face competition from India and Ecuador. India dominates the market with a significant share of 60%-70%, Ecuador holds 15% while Vietnam has a smaller share at 5%-7%.
The UAE is a net importer of seafood and the country imports up to 90% of its food consumption. A growing population, with diverse backgrounds, high incomes and growing demand for seafood are driving demand for aquatic products. Rapid urbanization, increasing disposable income and young people's preference for seafood protein along with tourism will definitely boost seafood consumption in this market.
The UAE consumes more than 220,000 tons of seafood/year and has a per capita seafood consumption of 28.6 kg/year, which is higher than the global average (FAO, 2021).
Almost 90% of the population of the UAE are immigrants and fish and seafood products are an integral part of the traditional meals. Furthermore, a study found that online searches for seafood products have skyrocketed in recent years, making seafood one of the fastest-growing proteins searched in GCC countries. Seafood products are considered healthy and people are reducing their meat consumption. The UAE is also one of the top destinations for premium seafood, and demand for lobster, scallops and other high-quality fish is on the rise.
Positive signal of UAE
The UAE is a net importer of seafood and the country imports up to 90% of its food consumption
The UAE's economic outlook remains positive, with GDP growing by 3.6% in 2023. Despite the geopolitical ramifications the global economy is currently facing, the UAE economy is poised for recovery, growth and prosperity in the second half of the year. Its successful economic performance has led to the UAE being named the world's largest economy - an innovation-driven economy. These positive forecasts will make the UAE a very promising destination for seafood exporters who are having difficulty in major markets such as the EU, the US, and China.
The UAE's progress in implementing comprehensive economic partnership agreements will help improve trade and integration into global value chains, which are important drivers of economic growth. Currently, the UAE has signed free trade agreements (FTAs) with many countries, including India, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand... India seems to have taken advantage of the tariff advantage in this market to increase its market share over the years.
Pangasius, tuna and other marine fish products imported into the UAE are the main products and are subject to a 5% tax rate. It is expected that this market will be more open to Vietnam's exported seafood products to this market if Vietnam can agree on the seafood import tax rate into the UAE to 0% immediately. However, besides the tariff problem, the most difficult thing for exporters to the UAE is the requirements of importers related to Halal certification - if this problem is concerned by ministries and businesses to overcome, Vietnamese seafood not only conquering the UAE market but also the potential Middle East region.
|
Top 10 Vietnam’s seafood products exported to UAE (USD) |
||||
|
Product |
H1/2022 |
H2/2023 |
Change(%) |
Proportion (%) |
|
35,332,031 |
17,503,111 |
-50.5 |
100.0 |
|
|
Pangasius |
18,769,871 |
9,386,403 |
-50.0 |
53.6 |
|
Black tiger shrimp |
4,452,072 |
2,059,686 |
-53.7 |
11.8 |
|
Tuna |
1,896,059 |
2,049,510 |
8.1 |
11.7 |
|
Whiteleg shrimp |
5,698,848 |
1,544,437 |
-72.9 |
8.8 |
|
Seabass |
346,607 |
960,740 |
177.2 |
5.5 |
|
Anchovy |
725,911 |
710,061 |
-2.2 |
4.1 |
|
Other shrimps |
2,941,998 |
329,834 |
-88.8 |
1.9 |
|
Ornamental fish |
88,308 |
128,941 |
46.0 |
0.7 |
|
Tilapia |
6,225 |
66,494 |
968.2 |
0.4 |
|
Squid |
68,246 |
60,706 |
-11.0 |
0.3 |
(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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