Each year Australia imports an average of about 40,000 MT of shrimp from other countries. In 5 years (2013-2017), the import volume of shrimp into Australia reached the highest level of 44.5 thousand MT in 2014.
In 2017, Australian shrimp imports totaled 32.3 thousand MT, worth by US$340.4 million, down 21% in volume but up 14% in value compared to 2016. Vietnam was the largest shrimp supplier to Australia, accounting for 32.9% of total Australian shrimp imports. Thailand was the second largest, accounting for 27.4%; followed by China with 25.5%. Australia's shrimp imports from the three biggest suppliers (Vietnam, Thailand and China) all increased by 32.9%, 27.4% and 25.5%, respectively over 2016.
Imports of frozen raw warm water shrimp (HS code 030617) took the largest share of total shrimp imports into Australia, followed by processed shrimp (HS160521). In 2017, imports of frozen raw warm water shrimp accounted for 48.6% of shrimp imports into Australia while those of processed shrimp picked up nearly 30%.
In this period, imports of processed shrimp into the country increased by 90% while those of frozen raw shrimp decreased by 9% due to a ban on uncooked shrimp imports in early 2017. Shrimp prices on the Australian market during this period also increased by 10-15% due to a fall in supplies. Although Australia has now lifted the import ban, with the stricter import conditions, imports of frozen raw shrimp into the country remain low.
On the Australian market, Vietnam shrimp has competitive prices. In 2017, the import price of Vietnam shrimp into Australia quoted at US$10.7/kg; that from Thailand and China was US$10.69/kg and US$10/kg, respectively; and that from India was US$13.5/kg. More and more Australian consumers choose frozen shrimp imported from Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam thanks to lower prices and improved quality.
In 2017, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to Australia hit nearly US$120 million, up 4.6% over 2016. In the first month of 2018, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to Australia showed many positive signs with the growth rate of 169.7% to eye nearly US$11 million.
Processed shrimp made up 78% of Vietnam’s total shrimp exports to this market. In the past 5 years, Vietnam has always been the largest supplier of processed shrimp to Australia.
The demand for shrimp in the market keeps quite high due to the limited catch and processed production of shrimp in the country because of high labor force. Shrimp consumption increased rapidly while domestic supply was not enough to meet demand.
During the first week of March 2017, the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources sent a delegation to Vietnam to inspect and evaluate the process and quality of shrimp production in Vietnam.
During this visit, experts from Australia's Department of Agriculture and Water Resources have a very positive view of the Vietnamese shrimp industry. Accordingly, the shrimp industry has approached and applied many solutions and modern technology in production to improve productivity and product quality.
Australian importers appreciate Vietnam shrimp very well. Early evaluations of safe and good production have shown the prospect of Vietnamese whole shrimp exports to Australia.
Currently, more than 90% of shrimp products in Australia are imported. Each year the value of Vietnam's seafood exports to Australia took a low proportion, mainly cooked shrimp. This shows that there is a big opportunity to export whole fresh shrimp to the market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?
(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.
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