It is shrimp exports that led to this growth. Shrimp exports is expected to reach the highest recorded value, at over US$ 4 billion, up 25% year on year. In Vietnam, shrimp is the seafood export item with the highest growth rate.
The growth of shrimp export offset the decline in export of some other items and therefore kept the total seafood export value increase. Export value of whiteleg shrimp continued to sharply increase and by the end of 2014, export value of the shrimp nearly doubled that of black tiger shrimp.
The US continued to be the leading market for Vietnam shrimp exports, despite the fall in shrimp exports to the US in some last months of the year. Shrimp exports to the EU continued its increasing trend. The EU became the consumption market with the highest growth among major markets for Vietnam shrimp.
The US, Japan and the EU are three major markets for shrimp exports. Markets such as South Korea, Australia, Canada witnessed double digit growth.
As bilateral agreements with the major markets are about to be signed, especially the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and EU, from the beginning of 2015, Vietnam seafood exports will enjoy more tax incentives. This however also comes with high requirements from international standards.
According to Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, Deputy General Secretary of VASEP, seafood import demand from the US, EU, Japan is high but Vietnam has to be competitive by improving quality of products. Only by this way can Vietnam seafood exports maintain growth and become better.
Brackish water shrimp rearing also rose to catch up with exports. This is considered as a highlight in aquaculture in 2014. As shrimp farming in Thailand and China still suffered from diseases, intensive rearing has been developed. To offset the shortages in Thailand and China, there was a big shift from black tiger shrimp to white leg shrimp in Vietnam.
Reportedly, in 2014, brackish water shrimp was farmed in the total area of 685,000 hectares, consisting of 590,000 hectares for black tiger shrimp and 95,000 hectares for whiteleg shrimp.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.069 billion, up 17.5% compared to the same period in 2025. This is a positive result amid an uneven global shrimp market recovery, intensifying competition among major suppliers, and continued volatility in the international trade environment. However, this growth does not reflect a broad-based recovery across the entire sector, but rather is driven mainly by strong performance in a few markets and specific product segments—most notably lobster exports to China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports continued to decline in March 2026. Cumulatively, in the first three months of the year, export value reached USD 208 million, down 4% compared to the same period in 2025. The export landscape shows clear divergence across markets: while the U.S. and EU remain challenging, markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Egypt, the Philippines, and Mexico have emerged as growth bright spots.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Quang Ngai Province, shrimp farming costs are rising sharply due to लगातार increases in feed, fuel, and input material prices, while farm-gate shrimp prices are declining. This has significantly reduced farmers’ profit margins and increased production risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the week from April 4th to 10th, 2026, Quang Ngai province intensified its monitoring and law enforcement activities with the determination to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanh Hoa’s shrimp sector is undergoing a strong transformation by accelerating the adoption of high technology, helping to improve productivity, increase profits, and meet market demands. The province currently has about 4,100 hectares of shrimp farming, with output continuing to rise despite stable farming area, mainly due to the shift from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive farming.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
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