In the second quarter this year, 92.3 per cent of seafood firms need working capital of between VND10 billion (US$476,190) and VND500 billion ($23.81 million), said Nguyen Minh Tam, a VASEP representative.
Ninety per cent of companies expected credit line to increase to VND10 billion ($476,190) in minium and VND1.4 trillion ($66.67 million) in maxium, Tam said, while 53.85 per cent need between VND2 billion ($95,238) and VND300 billion ($14.29 million) for developing investment activities such as upgrading equipment and factories in regions rearing fish and shrimp.
Difficulties in accessing capital have kept enterprises from purchasing fish and shrimp for export while farmers refrain from selling on credit, she said. Farmers have avoided losses despite firms being unable to pay their debts, such as in the case of Binh An Seafood Company.
As a result, enterprises have been forced to import seafood for processing export products, she added. Additionally, firms have faced high freight and quarantine fees and increasing production costs amidst a lack of capital.
VASEP said Viet Nam's ocean freight costs had increased by US$240-800 per foreign port since early this month. The hikes would continue in the next two months as shipping companies announced that from April 1, they would begin charging containers shipped to European ports with a general rate increase (GRI) of $400 per 20-foot container. On May 1, the same GRI will be applied on goods shipped to the US.
Therefore, ocean freight costs will skyrocket by $640-1,200 per 20-foot container in the three months from March to May, VASEP said.
Shipping costs in Viet Nam are currently 10-15 per cent higher than those in other regional countries including Thailand and the Philippines.
Last month, the association proposed the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant bodies reduce freight costs to ease the burden on seafood exporters.
Earlier, the association also asked the ministries of Finance and Agriculture and Rural Development to reconsider the quarantine fee levels applied on imported seafood batches in order to help companies reduce costs and increase competitiveness.
Many seafood companies are saying that the quarantine fees stipulated in a new Ministry of Finance's circular, effectives starting this month, have increased too much from the levels regulated in the ministry's previous circular, issued in late 2010.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development estimated the total export value of seafood for the first quarter this year to have experienced a year-on-year increase of 9.1 per cent to $1.2 billion.
During the first two months, seafood exports declined by 7 per cent to the European Union while it increased 11.5 per cent to the US and 25.3 per cent to Japan. One year ago, Viet Nam saw an increase of 30 per cent in seafood exports for each of the three markets.
Therefore, the VASEP expected the country would struggle gaining its target of $6.5 billion in seafood export value due to existing difficulties.
(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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