Positive signs have been seen in shrimp exports since the beginning of this year and alongside a host of favourable conditions regarding market demand, the target of earning 4 billion USD from exports has been deemed “within reach”.
Auspicious signs
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)’s removal of anti-dumping tariffs on the Minh Phu Seafood Corporation’s frozen shrimp products exported to the US is great news for the company and Vietnam’s shrimp industry as a whole.
The move has allowed the company to ship more frozen shrimp products to the US free of additional tariffs currently imposed on those from India. It will also receive a refund of tariffs it submitted previously.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade said the decision is objective and fair, with thorough consideration given to the efforts of Minh Phu and relevant agencies.
On January 5, a batch of 160 tonnes of frozen shrimp products from Minh Phu left port for the US, Europe, and Japan.
Figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development showed that seafood export value was estimated at 600 million USD in January, a year-on-year increase of 19.6 percent.
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said 2021 boasts favourable conditions for shrimp production and export, as demand worldwide remains stable and other exporters have yet to fully recover from the pandemic.
Vietnamese shrimp also possesses advantages in terms of tariffs thanks to new-generation free trade agreements the country has signed.
Experts noted that shrimp prices on the global market are projected to rise in the first half of this year and exports may well top 4.4 billion USD.
The US, Europe, and China are Vietnam’s largest markets at the moment, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said.
To realise the export target, companies and farmers must carefully prepare necessary conditions for production while remaining vigilant against disease and any chemical or antibiotic residue, to ensure food safety.
Links between stakeholders in the supply chains also need to be strengthened to raise product quality and ensure origin tracing, he noted, adding that effective models should be expanded and technical barriers countered.
Shrimp exports raked in 3.7 billion USD in 2020, a year-on-year increase of 11 percent. Vietnam has an advantage in exports compared to other suppliers given that the country has largely kept COVID-19 under control.
Export value to the US surged 33 percent last year, while the figures to the UK rose 20 percent, the EU 6.1 percent, and the Republic of Korea 3.3 percent./.
(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.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.
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