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) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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