Positive signals from pangasius exports
In the first 2 months of the year, Vietnam's seafood exports continued to be dominated by the consumption trend of the market in the context of a serious Covid epidemic. Accordingly, the demand is still leaning towards seafood products with reasonable prices, easy to process, long shelf life, suitable for processing and consumption at home such as: frozen small whiteleg shrimp, processed whiteleg shrimp, fish cake, surimi, marine fish fillet/portions, dried anchovies, dried squid, fish sauces ... Meanwhile, the export of frozen whole shrimp products, especially tiger shrimp, decreased due to the high price and tight control of imported frozen food products into the Chinese market. In addition, the Tet holiday also causes the source of raw materials to decline, especially capture items such as tuna, squid, octopus and marine shrimp ... causing the export value to decrease. Besides, export activities in the first 2 months of the year were also limited by high freight of sea transportation.
In February, shrimp export is estimated at nearly 160 million USD, down by 18% year-on-year, and by the end of February, it was over 380 million USD, down slightly by 0.8% year-on-year, mainly because black tiger shrimp exports decreased by nearly 40%. Whiteleg shrimp exports still accounted for an increasingly large proportion of 80% of total shrimp exports with about 304 million, an increase of about 14% over the same period last year while black tiger shrimp accounted for only 10% of the total at about 38 million USD, down by 48%.
Pangasius exports, after a continuous decline in 2020, showed positive signs earlier this year: exports in January increased by 22% reaching 123.5 million USD and in February dropped 17% reaching 90 million USD, bringing accumulated results for 2 months to 214 million USD, up by 1.7% over the same period last year. In January 2021, the export of frozen pangasius fillets increased by 54%, whole pangasius increased by 162%. In addition to Chinese customers, Colombian importers also increased the purchase of whole Vietnamese pangasius. In January 2021, this country mainly imported whole pangasius, pangasius fillet only made up a small percentage.
Except for China and the EU, Vietnam's pangasius exports tended to recover strongly in all markets, in which there was a sharp increase in exports to the US (up by 51% in January 2021) and to CPTPP countries by 38% (to Mexico increased by 73%, to Australia by 45%, to Canada by 42% in January 2021). Exports to other markets (Brazil, Colombia, UK, Russia) all increased from 37-129% in January.
The total export of marine products in January increased by 31.4% to 264 million USD, in February decreased 21% to 156 million USD, bringing the export result in the first 2 months to nearly 420 million USD, up by 5,5%. In particular, exports of tuna and bivalve mollusks both decreased by 11%, cephalopod exports increased slightly by 0.8%, marine fish increased by 15%, while crab exports decreased by 26%.
According to the export momentum in the first 2 months of the year, it is forecasted that the export turnover of Vietnam seafood in March 2021 will reach about US $ 640 million, up by 1.5% over the same period in 2020. Exports to the US, EU and CPTPP countries will maintain the positive signal thanks to the high demand and the push from free trade agreements EVFTA and CPTPP.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain increased by 13% compared to 2024. This growth trend has continued into the first two months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover to this market reached nearly USD 3 million in January–February 2026, up 101% year-on-year and significantly higher than the same period in 2024. This development indicates that Spain is once again becoming a notable destination for Vietnamese tuna amid strong demand for tuna raw materials and products in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
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