It is noteworthy that in the total marine product export value in the first 3 months of this year, there were 76% of turnover from marine fish products, of which tuna accounted for 21%, other marine fish accounted for 55%. Exported cephalopod products accounted for 16%, crab with 4.4%, and bivalve mollusk with 3.4%. In general, except for crab decreasing by nearly 4%, exports of main marine products increased: tuna up 3%, other marine fish by 14.4%, octopus squid by 8%, bivalve mollusk by 26%.
Exports of surimi, canned fish, fish sauce and dried seafood have grown strongly
There are a number of product lines from marine fish having impressive growths in exports, significantly contributing to seafood exports in the first quarter of 2021. First of all, surimi products with 83 million USD, up by 33%, accounted for 11.5% of marine product exports (4.8% of total seafood exports). Top 4 markets that dominate the majority of Vietnam's surimi exports include Korea (27%), Thailand (25%), Russia (10%) and Japan (10%).
Dried fish exports (except tuna) also saw a breakthrough, up by nearly 70% to 48.3 million USD, accounting for 6.6% of the total marine product export. The Chinese market alone consumes about 45% of Vietnam's dried fish exports, followed by South Korea with 13.4%. Russia, Japan, and Malaysia are also in the top 5, accounting for 12%, 8.5% and 7.4% respectively.
Canned marine fish (excluding tuna) increased 31% to 20.3 million USD, other processed marine fish increased by 22% to 72 million USD, accounting for 10% of marine product export. Canned tuna exports also increased by 14% to $45 million. Top 3 markets that consume the most canned fish from Vietnam include Japan (25%), Thailand 24%, America 24%. Notably, our neighbor Cambodia is ranked 4th and accounts for over 10% of Vietnam's canned fish exports in the first quarter.
In addition to marine fish, in the dried product segment, markets also increase the import of dried squid and dried marine shrimp from Vietnam. Therefore, the export of dried squid in the first quarter of 2021 increased by 32% to 28 million USD, accounting for 3.8% of marine product exports, dried shrimp exports nearly doubled over the same period in 2020, reaching 7.4 million USD.
The export of fish sauce and all kinds of seasoned fish sauce also increased by 33%, reaching $7.6 million. Frozen octopus exports increased by 16% and accounted for 6.6% of marine product exports.
Covid continues to influence exports of frozen fish fillets and squid
The export of fillet products or meat from marine fish (except tuna) also accounted for a high proportion in the total seafood export, with over 15%, but in the first 3 months of this year only slightly increased by 0.3%, reaching over 111 million dollars. For this product line, the majority (about 60% of the value) is from imported raw materials for export production or processing for export, so export business is affected more in the first quarter of this year when transportation costs increased and there was a lack of containers for import and export ...
In addition, some product lines continued to decline in sales, such as fresh/frozen marine fish down by 26.5%, processed tuna down by 5%, loin/fillet down by 3%, frozen squid down by 8%, processed octopus decreased by 22% ... This is considered a trend of decreasing demand in the context of Covid for high-priced product lines.
(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.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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