In the first four months of 2012, while many main agricultural products witnessed a continuous reduction in the export turnover, seafood exports remained a positive revenue of nearly US$1.8 billion, up 11 percent over the same period of 2011.
In April alone, the figure was US$470.1 million, up 0.9 percent. However, the above seafood export growth posted the weakest performance in the past three years due to a lot of troubles. The growth is positive in aspect of value but in aspect of profit, it is reducing.
In the wake of heaped up bottlenecks, seafood enterprises must face lack of capital and raw material, soaring input costs, the reduction in the number of importing markets. As a result, exports of two main items (shrimp and pangasius) has signs of reducing since April, in which shrimp exports fell by 6.5 percent to US$163.2 million, black tiger shrimp exports fell by 22 percent due to shrimp mortality caused by plague and low demand for high-grade products. Pangasius exports reached only US$143.6 million, down 0.9 percent over 2011. Fish shipment will continue to fall if enterprises and farmers are not supported by loans from banks.
Now, seafood exports are unfavorable due to economic recession and low demand of importers. EU remains a key importer of Vietnam seafood with the export proportion of 19.6 percent, lower than that of the same period of 2011 (nearly 25 percent).
Exports to EU will continue to decline due to persistent financial crisis. In Jan – Apr 2012, seafood exports to the block decreased almost 12 percent in which shrimp exports fell by 30 percent and pangasius fell by 14 percent. The growth in seafood exports to the U.S. was more positive but only equal to one third over that of the same period of 2011.
The sharp decline in exports to the key markets drove seafood enterprises to Asia, especially Japan. In April 2012, seafood exports to Japan was up 32 percent, higher than that of the same period of 2011(3 percent) and the export proportion also rose from 14 percent in Jan – Apr 2011 to nearly 18 percent in Jan – Apr 2012.
However, Japan is increasingly imposing technical barriers to Vietnam seafood. Since May 18th 2012, Japan has tested Ethoxyquin residue on 30 percent of Vietnam shrimp consignments imported to the market with maximum residue limits of 0.01 ppm. While in Japan, Ethoxyquin is allowed to use in shrimp feed with maximum residue limits of 150 ppm.
In Jan – Apr 2012, top 10 seafood exporters made up 21.5 percent of total seafood exports of the whole country, higher than that of Jan – Apr 2011 (19.3 percent). This is an opportunity for seafood export sector to restructure, remain a stable and sustainable development. However, in hard economic situation, competent agencies need to bring out measures to help enterprises recover and develop in the future.
From now to the end of this year, seafood exports is expected to keep a two digit growth. By enterprises’ efforts in reducing input cost to lower the products’ price, increasing competitive ability, remaining consumers, ensuring labours’ life and employment, seafood exports will recover and develop in the next year, many experts predicted.
(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.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a volatile first half of the year, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Brazil registered robust growth in July and August 2026. In August alone, export turnover reached $19 million, surging 73% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively for the first eight months, total export value reached $124 million, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Besides modifying their boats, many fishermen in Dak Lak province are making efforts to venture out to sea to harvest seafood during the rough sea season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the Responsible Seafood Summit and TCRS Shrimp Summit 2026, organized by the GSA (Global Seafood Alliance) in Bangkok, Thailand, the conversation about the future of the shrimp industry began with one of its most important foundations: seedstock quality.
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