The tightening trade via unofficiall route and strict quality control of China have affected to shrimp exports to this market in the first months of 2019. Besides, China increased sharply shrimp imports from Ecuador and India, resulting in not increasing shrimp imports from Vietnam in the first months of 2019.
Since May 2019, demand for shrimp imports from Vietnam of China has been increasing. Moreover, businesses had also caught up with market requirements and had a better adjustment. Hence, Vietnamese shrimp exports to this market have achieved the positive growth.
According to Chinese Customs data, in August 2019, China imported 63,000 MT of frozen warm water shrimp, worth US $ 372 million. In the first eight months of 2019, China imported 378,000 MT, worth US $ 2.29 billion of frozen warm water shrimp, up 234% in volume and 185% in value over the same period in 2018.
Shrimp imports of China in the first 8 months of 2019 rose sharply as Chinese importers boost imports to process and serve domestic consumption and re-export during the Lunar New Year.
Ecuador was China's largest supplier of frozen warm water shrimp, accounting for about 50% of total shrimp imports into China. Followed by India, accounting for 25% and Saudi Arabia was the third largest supplier of frozen warm water shrimp for China, accounting for 7%. Shrimp imports into China from Ecuador and India in the first 8 months of 2019 lifted from 200 to 300% over the same period in 2018.
Demand for shrimp imports into China from Ecuador has been increasing. In 2014, Ecuador exported 30% of its total shrimp exports to China, equivalent to 68,603 MT, worth US $ 584 million. In 2018, Ecuadorian shrimp exports to China accounted for 61% of Ecuador's total shrimp exports, equivalent to 281,718 MT, worth US$1.66 billion.
Shrimp imports into China from Ecuador in August alone reached 36,500 MT and that of in the first 8 months of 2019 reached 187,000 MT.
Recently, 5 Ecuadorian companies were temporarily banned from exporting shrimp to China due to concerns that the shrimp disease from Ecuador could spread into the country. This incident also affected to Ecuadorian shrimp exports to China.
Shrimp imports into China from the second largest supplier- India reached 16,400 MT in August 2019 and reached 95,000 MT in the first 8 months of 2019.
Vietnam shrimp exports to China from now until the end of the year are expected to maintain positive growth momentum. Enterprises need to proactively update the new requirements and regulations of China and make appropriate adjustments to maintain exports to this market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia industry is maintaining strong growth momentum, with significant room for further expansion in the coming years. In 2025, total tilapia production reached approximately 420,000 tonnes, up 33% from 2024 and 2.2 times higher than in 2015. During 2015–2025, production grew at an average annual rate of around 8.4%. As production and exports continue to expand, food safety control is receiving increasing attention to ensure product quality, meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international markets, and provide a foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first six months of 2026 indicate that Vietnam’s tilapia industry is entering a new phase of development, with strong export growth but also greater demands for production scale, quality and international competitiveness.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
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