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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
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