Demand up, supply short According to FAO, seafood is the kind of food which has been selling best with 102 billion dollars worth of products consumed in 2008. The organization has predicted that from now to 2015, the seafood consumption per capita around the globe would increase by 0.8 percent per annum, while the total demand for seafood products would increase by 2.1 percent per annum. Meanwhile, the supply is short to satisfy the market demand. Japan’s fisheries have been threatened after the earthquake and tsunami, Thailand’s and Vietnam’s shrimp have suffered due to floods and epidemics. Meanwhile, catfish industry has suffered from the sharp input cost increases. According to the Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers VASEP, a lot of the gold stores in Bangkok, Thailand have suffered from the heavy floods, which would only be able to resume their operation after some more time. This would certainly badly affect Thailand’s shrimp export in 2012. Meanwhile, other shrimp exporters such as China, Indonesia, are also facing difficulties. China is experiencing a cold weather period which badly affects the productivity, Indonesia is facing epidemics. Meanwhile, in the US, EU and Japan, the biggest shrimp consumers, the domestic shrimp supply has been forecast to be low. As for catfish, in 2011, the floods in Mississippi, one of the four states in the US which breed catfish, have made the cultivation area decrease by 39 percent. Farmed seafood favored A recent report showed that in 2010, the cultivated seafood output of the world increased by 60 percent, from 32.4 million tons to 52.5 million tons in 2000-2008. It is expected that in 2012, the aquaculture would satisfy more than 50 percent of the total consumption. While the volume of seafood exploited worldwide has been decreasing amid the increasing population, aquaculture is believed to have great potentials in the future, which can satisfy the increasingly high demand for high quality and safe products. Farmed seafood products have helped improve the food security in many regions in the world. However, aquaculture develops at different levels in the world. Currently, Asia- Pacific is considered the biggest influential region in the world in terms of aquaculture. Of the 15 biggest aquaculture countries in the world, 11 belong to Asia Pacific. China is leading in terms of carp farming, while Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India have advantages in medium and small size shrimp, and Norway and Chile are leading in salmon production. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, it is expected that the total seafood output in 2012 would reach 5.35 million tons, including 2.2 million tons of seafood to be exploited, 3.15 million tons of farmed products, while the export revenue may reach 6.5 billion dollars. As for shrimp, Thai companies have been boosting exports to the US. However, the US importers fear that the floods may increase the food hygiene threat to the exports. Experts believe that this is really a great opportunity for Vietnam to increase the exports of shrimp to the US. The US also proves to be a big consumer for Vietnam’s tra fish. A lot of Vietnamese companies have enjoyed the anti-dumping tax rates of 0-0.02 percent instead of 2.44-4.22 percent, which is really a favorable condition for them to boost exports. Le Van Quang, General Director of Minh Phu Group, also said that the 6.5 billion dollars in export turnover proves to be within reach.
(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.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn