In the first half of 2019, in the structure of shrimp products exports, whiteleg shrimp accounted for 66.8%, black tiger shrimp accounted for 22.6% and the rest were marine shrimp. Export of white leg shrimp reached nearly US$963 million, down 12% compared to the same period last year; Export of black tiger shrimp hit nearly US$325 million, down 16%; Export of other marine shrimp touched nearly US$153 million, up 2%. Export of processed black tiger shrimp dropped the most by 36%.
In June 2019, Vietnamese shrimp exports reached US$293.5 million, down 4.8% year on year. In the top 5 main shrimp importers from Vietnam, exports to Japan, the US and China have shown signs of growth, yet exports to the EU and South Korea still reported a two-digit drop. For the other markets, exports to Australia and Taiwan increased while exports to Canada, ASEAN and Switzerland fell.
Accumulated in the first 6 months of this year, exports to the top 5 main importers all fell while export to Japan, the US and China decreased less thanks to good growth in June.
The EU
The Vietnam-EU Trade Agreement (EVFTA) was signed in Hanoi on June 30, 2019. According to commitments in EVFTA, Vietnamese seafood exported to the EU shall be completely eliminated tariff (except canned tuna and fish ball applying a tariff quota of 11,500 tons) with the longest schedule of 7 years. Particularly, shrimp products will be more optimistic as the import tax on this market will drop sharply from the first year, then gradually reduce to 0% in the following years.
With preferential tariffs and business environment, Vietnamese enterprises will have an advantage over many other countries exporting shrimp such as India and Thailand in the second half of the year.
The US
Shrimp exports to the US (Vietnam's third largest shrimp importer) in June 2019 reached nearly US $ 64 million, up 17.7% over the same period last year. Accumulated in the first 6 months of this year, shrimp exports to this market reached US$250,4 million, down 2% year on year. After a continuous decline in the first 4 months of this year, Vietnamese shrimp exports to the US inched up in May and June.
Vietnam shrimp exports to the US in recent years face strong competition of rival suppliers (India, Ecuador, China ...), along with the high anti-dumping tax of this market.
The US government imposed a 25% tax on seafood products from China, including shrimp. This will become an opportunity for other countries to boost shrimp exports to the US market, including Vietnam. According to data from the US Department of Agriculture, breaded shrimp exports from Vietnam to the US in the first 5 months of this year reached 4,281 tons, worth 30.9 million, up 53% in volume and 48% in value compared to the same period in 2018. In the context of shrimp export to the US declined, the growth rate of this product can be considered a positive sign.
China
Vietnamese shrimp exports to China went up by 10% to nearly US$47 million in June 2019. In the first six months of this year, exports to this market slipped by 4.9% to US$233.5 million. Vietnam shrimp exports to China tremendously declined in 2018 and in the first months of 2019 due to a sharp increase in Chinese shrimp imports from India, Ecuador (lower price than Vietnamese shrimp). In the first quarter of 2019, Chinese shrimp imports from India increased by 624% in volume and 573% in value over the same period in 2018. In the first half of this year, Ecuadorian shrimp exports to China rose by 224% in volume and 185% in value compared to the same period in 2018.
Vietnamese shrimp exports to China has shown signs of increasing in May and June. India has passed the main harvest, thus Vietnam shrimp export to China is expected to decrease less. The export value of the whole year to this market is likely equivalent to 2018.
Vietnam shrimp exports in the coming months are expected to inch up thanks to the effects of the Trade Agreement, the US-China trade war, the high demand for imports from other markets in the second half and reducing in competition from India.
(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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