The price increases are partly because it is currently off-season, and the market is suffering from high demand due to an influx of visitors, which has resulted in weakened supplies,” said Ghasam Al-Jizani, a vendor at the Jeddah fish market.
Another reason prices had increased, he explained, was the Kingdom having to import large quantities of shrimps from India, Thailand, Yemen and the Philippines to meet demand, reports ArabNews. Due to the higher prices in Jeddah, where most seafood markets in neighboring cities such as Makkah stock their inventories, the chain reaction has been felt in even higher prices.
“We have been hearing of complaints concerning higher prices, but we have explained that we have no choice, since wholesale prices in Jeddah are already high, and we must be able to turn a profit,” Tariq Gong, an employee at a seafood market in Makkah, stated.
Nonetheless, some say that a weak supply is not the main reason for the price increase; instead, it is due to vendors and owners of seafood restaurants taking advantage of the tourist season. “I usually like to take my family to Thuwal to visit one of the outdoor seafood restaurants, where my children can play and we enjoy a nice fish dinner,” Abdullah Al-Qurashi said. He added that despite Thuwal having its own fishing industry and seafood market, he noticed the prices had recently been increased four times to what they currently are in Jeddah.
Arab News investigated this claim and found that hamour is currently priced at SR22 a kilo in Jeddah, while restaurants such as those in Thuwal are charging up to SR90 a kilo for the same fish.
Upon inquiring about astronomical price increases, the owner of an outdoor seafood restaurant in Thuwal who wished to remain anonymous told Arab News, “This is a tourist spot, which includes extra services that have to be included in the price of the meal.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the latest statistics for January 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius export value to major market blocs recorded encouraging growth compared with the same period last year, indicating that consumption demand is gradually recovering.
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