In March, Vietnam exported seafood to 130 markets, in which, the US market was still the pioneer in both turnover and export growth with 136 million USD, up by 36% compared to March 2020, accounting for nearly 20% of total seafood exports of Vietnam, followed by Japan with 125 million USD, accounting for 17.6%. Ranked third is the Chinese market with 103 million USD, up by 15% and accounting for 14%. Exports to South Korea also increased by 15% to 65 million USD, being the fourth market, accounting for 9%.
Demand for seafood in the retail and service segments both tends to increase in major markets such as the US and EU and China's removal of the congestion at import ports since March has had a positive impact to Vietnam's seafood export activities to these markets.
However, seafood export data in March as well as the first 3 months of 2021 shows that there are single markets, which are not in the top 5 seafood import markets of Vietnam, have impressive growths and are gradually asserting their indispensable position in Vietnam's seafood exports. Those are Thailand, UK, Russia, Australia, Canada, which account for 3-4% each of Vietnam's seafood exports.
Seafood exports from Vietnam to Thailand in March increased by 44%, to the UK increased by 20%, to Russia increased by 68%. Exports to 2 CPTPP countries, Australia and Canada, increased by 28% and 9%, respectively.
In the export turnover to Thailand, 30% of the value comes from processing activities of joint venture companies, processing marine fish products such as surimi, fish cakes and canned tuna ... the rest are products of Vietnam enterprises. Vietnam mainly exports to this market pangasius, frozen squid, dried squid ...
Increasing retail sales of seafood in the UK from the beginning of the year, especially with warm water shrimp, tuna and some marine fish are favorable factors for Vietnamese seafood enterprises. Russian import demand also tends to increase, the room for Vietnamese enterprises is being expanded. Recently, Russia announced more 9 seafood processing companies and factories to the list of exporters allowed to export seafood to this market, bringing the list to 44 units allowed to export to Russia.
By the end of the first quarter of 2021, Vietnam's seafood exports reached US $ 1.73 billion, an increase of nearly 7% over the same period last year. In particular, shrimp exports increased by 5% to 661 million USD, pangasius exports increased by 3% to 344 million USD, tuna reached 151 million USD, also up 3%, other marine fish increased by sharply 14% to 402 million USD, cephalopod sales increased by 8% to 116 million USD.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On July 9, 2026, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil organized the seminar titled “Sharing Information on Vietnam-Brazil Economic, Trade and Investment Relations in the First Half of 2026” to provide updates on bilateral cooperation and strengthen connections among government agencies, industry associations, and business communities of the two countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports in the first 6 months of the year continued to be a bright spot with a total turnover of 5.7 billion USD, an increase of 11.4% compared to the same period last year. By commodity group, seafood is one of the three groups with a trade balance in the first 6 months of 2026 in a surplus state with 4.13 billion USD, an increase of 17%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) For many years, Vietnam’s seafood industry has been recognized as one of the country’s key export pillars. Products such as shrimp, pangasius, tuna, squid, octopus, and a wide range of other seafood have reached hundreds of markets worldwide. Yet behind these impressive export figures lies a significant challenge: a substantial share of Vietnam’s seafood export value still comes from minimally processed products, contract manufacturing, and raw material exports—segments characterized by low profit margins and high vulnerability to fluctuations in global prices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the context of a global economy shifting powerfully toward green and sustainable values, Vietfish 2026 is far more than just a commercial trade fair. It has become a strategic rendezvous and a "comprehensive ecosystem"—a convergence of value, knowledge, and sustainable growth opportunities for the entire industry chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Colombia continued their strong upward momentum in May 2026. Export value to the market reached USD 4 million, up 24% compared to the same month in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 24 million, an impressive 48% increase year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Hai Phong's aquaculture sector is accelerating the adoption of high technologies in aquaculture to adapt to climate change, with red tilapia and tilapia identified as the key cultured species for priority development.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached nearly US$1.1 billion in June 2026, up 21.0% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first half of 2026 totaled nearly US$5.8 billion, representing a 12.8% increase compared with the same period last year. Exports to China and Hong Kong continued to accelerate, while shipments to the United States rebounded strongly in June. In contrast, exports to the EU, Japan, and the Middle East remained sluggish or recorded slight declines.
(vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is playing an increasingly important role in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, driven not only by growing market opportunities but also by its ability to meet increasingly stringent requirements on quality, food safety, and traceability. In practice, tilapia farming in Vietnam is not a spontaneous or loosely regulated activity; rather, it operates under a comprehensive legal and technical framework covering the entire value chain—from hatcheries and farming to processing and exports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.9 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 12% compared with the same period last year. Amid continued volatility in the global seafood market, this result demonstrates that the shrimp sector has maintained positive growth momentum, supported by improving demand in several Asian markets, particularly China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On June 16, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province announced that the locality has established a farming area code for nearly 30,400 hectares of mud crab aquaculture and granted export facility codes to five enterprises eligible to export mud crab officially to markets such as China, Cambodia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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