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) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 81 million in April 2026, down 6% compared to the same period in 2025. In the first four months of the year, export turnover totaled USD 289 million, down 4.8%. Although the overall export picture has yet to brighten significantly, market trends are becoming increasingly diversified rather than moving in a single direction.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is undergoing strong restructuring starting from the broodstock and fingerling segment in order to improve productivity, quality, and export competitiveness. This is considered a critical foundation for the sustainable development of the industry amid rising production costs and increasingly stringent market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs data, pangasius exports in April 2026 reached USD 206 million, up 18% compared to the same period in 2025 — marking another consecutive month of double-digit growth since the beginning of the year. Cumulative pangasius export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 720 million, up 17% year-on-year, reflecting the positive growth momentum of this key export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the first four months of 2026 maintained positive growth momentum, reaching approximately USD 1.5 billion, up 15% compared to the same period last year. However, behind this result lies diverging trends across markets, as the global shrimp industry continues to face pressure from inflation, high inventories, price competition, and increasing trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Vinh Tuy commune (Kien Giang Province), many shrimp farmers are adopting bottom aeration systems and reporting clear economic benefits, helping increase income and reduce production risks.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of crabs and other crustaceans reached more than USD 93 million, up 23% compared to the same period last year. The result shows that the sector is experiencing a fairly positive recovery, especially in its two key product groups: crabs and swimming crabs. However, behind the growth figures are several concerns: export markets remain highly concentrated, raw material supply is unstable, and trade barriers from the US and EU are becoming increasingly stringent.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Ca Mau province, many farmers are transitioning from traditional methods to high-tech shrimp farming, adopting recirculating systems with minimal water exchange to improve efficiency and reduce risks. In Hung My commune alone, there are about 260 super-intensive shrimp farming households covering more than 265 hectares, playing a key role in local economic development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
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
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