China & Hong Kong remained the strongest growth driver for Vietnam’s shrimp exports during the period. Export value to this market exceeded USD 711 million, up 46% year-on-year and accounting for nearly 38% of the country’s total shrimp export turnover. Stable demand for frozen shrimp products, together with robust growth in lobster exports, helped boost shipments to this market.
Meanwhile, the United States—which had long been Vietnam’s leading shrimp market—continued to be a bottleneck for the industry. Shrimp exports to the U.S. totaled USD 228 million in the first five months of the year, down 22% compared with the same period last year. In addition to intense price competition from Ecuador and India, exporters are closely monitoring developments related to the Section 301 investigation and anti-dumping duties. These factors have made U.S. buyers increasingly cautious in their purchasing decisions.
Other traditional markets showed relatively stable performance. Exports to Japan and South Korea remained largely unchanged from a year earlier, while the EU maintained modest growth. Markets such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Taiwan continued to post encouraging growth, helping diversify export destinations for Vietnamese shrimp products.
By product category, whiteleg shrimp remained dominant, accounting for more than 57.1% of total shrimp export value, while black tiger shrimp represented 9.5%. The category of other marine shrimp recorded the highest growth rate, rising 29% year-on-year, reflecting both supply diversification and growing market demand for alternatives to traditional whiteleg shrimp.
Despite positive market signals, the shrimp industry continues to face production-related challenges. In recent weeks, farm-gate shrimp prices in many Mekong Delta provinces have declined amid increasing supply. This price drop has occurred while production costs continue to rise, including feed, seedstock, packaging, logistics, and sharply higher ocean freight rates.
Nevertheless, the outlook is not without bright spots. Demand across many Asian markets remains positive, while several international macroeconomic factors have become more favorable compared with the beginning of the year. Easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, following positive developments in U.S.–Iran relations, have helped reduce concerns over disruptions to global supply chains and international shipping. If this trend continues, logistics cost pressures could ease in the coming months.
As a result, the outlook for Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the second half of 2026 remains cautiously optimistic. Growth momentum from China and other Asian markets is expected to continue, while Vietnamese companies are accelerating the development of value-added processed products, improving production efficiency, and expanding into new markets to reduce dependence on a limited number of destinations.
After the first five months of the year, Vietnam’s shrimp industry has demonstrated its resilience and adaptability amid global market fluctuations. Although challenges related to costs and competition remain, the sector’s double-digit growth provides a solid foundation for achieving further expansion during the remainder of 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.9 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 12% compared with the same period last year. Amid continued volatility in the global seafood market, this result demonstrates that the shrimp sector has maintained positive growth momentum, supported by improving demand in several Asian markets, particularly China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On June 16, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province announced that the locality has established a farming area code for nearly 30,400 hectares of mud crab aquaculture and granted export facility codes to five enterprises eligible to export mud crab officially to markets such as China, Cambodia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The United States remains one of the largest export markets for Vietnamese pangasius. In the first four months of 2026, pangasius exports to the US reached USD 106 million, up 4% compared to the same period in 2025. In April 2026 alone, export value totaled USD 38 million, marking a 20% year-on-year increase and the first positive growth recorded after an extended period of decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While Vietnam’s shrimp exports to many major markets continued to post positive growth in the first months of 2026, exports to the United States declined, highlighting growing competitive pressures and trade barriers facing the Vietnamese shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Egypt is emerging as one of the most promising destinations for Vietnamese tuna exports in 2026. During the first four months of the year, export turnover to this market exceeded USD 7.3 million, marking a sharp increase compared to the same period over the previous two years. As Egypt’s tuna imports continue to recover and demand for canned tuna remains strong, the market is becoming increasingly attractive for Vietnamese tuna processors and exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to CPTPP member countries reached nearly USD 128 million, accounting for 18% of the country’s total pangasius export value and increasing by 21% compared to the same period in 2025. Demand patterns varied significantly across the bloc: Mexico primarily imported fresh and frozen pangasius products, while Japan and Canada recorded substantial shares of processed products. Australia remained focused on frozen fillets but continued to maintain a portion of processed imports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Despite the slow recovery of the U.S. market and continued trade-related challenges facing Vietnam’s shrimp industry, Minh Phu Seafood Corporation (MPC) has set ambitious targets for 2026. The company aims to produce 68,800 metric tons of finished shrimp products, generate consolidated revenue of VND 19.9 trillion, and achieve VND 1.059 trillion in pre-tax profit. If achieved, these figures would represent the highest revenue and profit levels in the company’s history.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) HungHau Foods Joint Stock Company (HungHau Foods) has been honored at the 33rd Asia-Pacific Economic Forum, receiving two prestigious awards: “Top 10 Outstanding Asia-Pacific Enterprises 2026” and “Top 10 Outstanding Entrepreneurs” awarded to HungHau Foods CEO, Ms. Nguyen Yen.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a period of sluggish imports in 2025, the Chinese market has returned with strong shrimp purchasing momentum in the first months of 2026. However, alongside rising demand comes an increasingly stringent import control system, covering quarantine requirements, food safety standards, registration procedures, and traceability. This makes China a market that offers both significant opportunities and growing risks for Vietnamese shrimp exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Recently, in Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province, the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD) and the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) organized a workshop to announce the results of the project “Food Loss Assessment in the Pangasius Value Chain in the Mekong River Region.” The project aims to provide scientific evidence to support the sustainable development of Vietnam’s pangasius industry.
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