Ca Mau is Vietnam’s largest brackish-water aquaculture area, with over 417,000 hectares of farming zones and an annual output of more than 907,000 tons. Alongside shrimp—the province’s key product—sea crab is emerging strongly, with more than 365,000 hectares of farming area and an estimated annual output of 36,500 tons. However, official export figures for crab remain almost nonexistent, as most exports—valued at an estimated 700 million USD per year—are routed unofficially through border trade and thus are not reflected in the province’s export statistics.
At the conference, businesses pointed out that although the crab value chain is expanding, several challenges persist: seasonal fluctuations in output, weak and unstable market linkages, the absence of a unified traceability system, high logistics and preservation costs, and a lack of international certifications to access high-standard markets. Some countries, such as South Korea, have strong demand but impose stringent technical barriers that hinder market entry.
To enhance value and create stable demand, many enterprises are forming long-term purchasing partnerships with cooperatives, applying traceability technologies, investing in cold storage facilities, and standardizing packaging and transportation to ensure 100% live-crab deliveries. Several large supply chains have been established, providing farmers with greater production stability.
Between 2016 and 2025, Ca Mau’s crab farming area and output grew significantly, with 20,000 hectares achieving international certifications such as Naturland, ASC, and EU Organic. Many ecological crab products have entered major domestic retail chains.
The Ca Mau Department of Industry and Trade outlined five key solutions: diversifying markets and export methods; developing logistics infrastructure for live seafood; promoting digital trade and cross-border e-commerce; supporting enterprises in improving competitiveness and brand development; and strengthening international cooperation and trade promotion.
Vice Chairman Lê Văn Sử emphasized the need to establish a seafood export testing and verification center in Ca Mau. This would reduce costs, shorten inspection times, and ensure compliance with standards required by demanding markets—an essential step for Ca Mau crab, alongside Ca Mau shrimp, to expand official exports to Japan, South Korea, and Europe.
With strong potential, proven quality, and growing market recognition, Ca Mau crab can become a new strategic export product if a transparent, sustainable, and well-linked value chain is built, supported by enterprises, authorities, and local farmers. This will contribute significantly to the province’s socio-economic development in the years ahead.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
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Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
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