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.
(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.
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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