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) Japan continues to be one of Vietnam’s most important and stable shrimp markets. In recent years, shrimp exports to this market have fluctuated in line with Japan’s broader economic and consumption cycles, yet Japan remains a major, high-value destination with stringent standards.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain increased by 13% compared to 2024. This growth trend has continued into the first two months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover to this market reached nearly USD 3 million in January–February 2026, up 101% year-on-year and significantly higher than the same period in 2024. This development indicates that Spain is once again becoming a notable destination for Vietnamese tuna amid strong demand for tuna raw materials and products in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
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