The US is still Vietnam's second largest shrimp importer after the EU, accounting for 19.6% of Vietnam’s total shrimp export value.
Demand for US shrimp imports from Vietnam was more positive from May to August due to reduced inventories while the US was also reducing imports from India, Thailand and sharply reducing imports from China.
The US was the largest importer for Vietnamese whiteleg shrimp. Regarding the structure of Vietnamese shrimp exports to the US, whiteleg shrimp accounted for the largest proportion at 83.3%, tiger shrimp made up for only 12.6%. In the first 9 months of 2019, exports of live/fresh/frozen whiteleg shrimp to the US increased by 42% over the same period in 2018.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, Vietnamese breaded shrimp exported to the US in the first 8 months of 2019 reached 7,098 MT, worth US $ 50.8 million, up 57% in volume and 52% in value over the same period in 2018.
China, Thailand and Vietnam were the three main suppliers of breaded shrimp to the US, accounting for 31%, 26%, and 25% of the total shrimp import value of the US, respectively. Among three main suppliers, China was subject to a 25% tax, leading to a sharp reduction of 33% in value and 27% in volume compared to the same period in 2018. Breaded shrimp is a product with a high profit rate, so Vietnamese enterprises should continue to promote exports this product to the US.
Shrimp exports to the US expected to increase by about 5% in the last quarter of 2019.
In September 2019, the US imported 63,767 MT of shrimp, worth US$554.9 million, down 1.1% in volume and up 1.6% in value year on year.
In the first 9 months of 2019, shrimp imports into the US reached 494,964 MT, worth US$4.2 billion, compared to 489,639 MT and US$4.4 billion in the same period in 2018.
As of September 2019, the US imported 15,795 MT of shrimp, worth US$ 85.2 million from China, down 56% in volume and 66% in value over the same period in 2018.
Chinese shrimp exports to the US have fell due to the impact of the US-China trade war that made Chinese exporters have been subject to a 25% tax rate since May 2019.
In September 2019, shrimp imports into the US from Ecuador, Thailand, Argentina, Honduras and Panama all declined. Ecuador exported 6,801 MT of shrimp to the US, down 2% year on year. Thailand exported 3,691 MT of shrimp to the US, down 11%.
India was still the largest shrimp supplier to the US. This country exported to the US 198,350 MT of shrimp, valued at US$ 1.6 billion in the first 9 months of 2019, up 13% in volume and 4.5% in value over the same period in 2018.
(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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