South Korea has continued to be a major market for Vietnam's cephalopod exports, with steady growth observed in the first half of 2024. The second quarter saw particularly strong performance, with May and June recording double-digit increases.
The sustained demand from South Korea, coupled with reduced imports from other sources like Japan and China due to factors such as Japan's nuclear wastewater discharge and China's import ban on Japanese seafood, has benefited Vietnam's exporters.
Vietnam's octopus exports have been particularly strong, accounting for 71.9% of the total value to South Korea in the first half of the year. The dried/salted/live/fresh/frozen octopus segment saw a notable 18% increase, while the processed octopus group experienced a 15% decline.
South Korea primarily imports frozen octopus, frozen octopus cuts, cleaned frozen whole octopus, skinless dried squid, and frozen squid tubes from Vietnam.
The average export price of octopus to South Korea has been more stable than that of squid. In the second quarter of this year, the average export price of Vietnamese squid to South Korea showed a downward trend.
According to ITC data, South Korea's imports of cephalopod from all countries decreased by 3% to $494 million in the first six months of 2024. Vietnam ranked second in supplying cephalopod to South Korea, after China. China and Vietnam accounted for 46% and 24% of South Korea's total cephalopod imports, respectively.
In the first half of 2024, among the top three suppliers, imports from China and Vietnam increased, while imports from Peru decreased significantly. South Korea's imports of frozen octopus increased, while imports of frozen squid decreased in the first six months of the year.
In 2024, South Korea's seafood imports are expected to rebound as the Korean economy is forecast to recover. The South Korean won is expected to appreciate by the end of 2024.
In South Korea, demand for ready-to-eat, processed, and preserved foods is rapidly increasing. This information may be a positive signal for Vietnam's cephalopod exports to South Korea in 2024.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam Clean Seafood Corporation has invested in a 280-hectare super-intensive shrimp farming zone in Tran De Commune, Can Tho City, generating export value of approximately VND 3 billion per hectare per year—around 50 times higher than traditional agricultural production.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.02 billion in May 2026, up 0.6% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 4.67 billion, an increase of 11% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In a rapidly changing global seafood market, timely insights and reliable data are more critical than ever. The Report on Vietnam Seafood Exports in Q1/2026 provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in Vietnam’s seafood production, trade performance, and export trends, helping businesses navigate uncertainty and identify new growth opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While many major markets continue to experience slow growth, Russia has emerged as a brighter destination for Vietnamese tuna exports in early 2026. Export turnover to this market increased by nearly 55% in the first four months of the year, indicating a clear improvement in demand. Nevertheless, Russia remains a market that should be viewed with both optimism and caution.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 49 million, up 151% compared to the same period in 2025. This impressive growth reflects positive momentum in the tilapia sector, with Brazil emerging as a key driver of growth, while frozen tilapia fillets continued to be the industry's leading export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK have shown positive signs in the first months of 2026. While the UK’s overall tuna imports from the world declined, imports from Vietnam increased strongly, indicating that there is still room for Vietnam to expand its market share. However, behind this growth, competitive pressure remains intense, especially as the UK continues to be a major market for established suppliers such as Ecuador, Mauritius, and Ghana.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Biofloc technology is being piloted in several rice–shrimp farming models in Ca Mau Province, showing initial positive results in controlling pond environments, improving shrimp seed quality, and supporting sustainable aquaculture development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first four months of 2026, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia together contributed USD 108 million to Vietnam’s pangasius exports, accounting for around 15% of the industry’s total export turnover. Amid tightening global whitefish supply and slowing demand in several traditional markets, Latin America is increasingly becoming an important expansion destination for the sector.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Alongside the development of high-tech shrimp farming, Ha Tinh Province is accelerating the cultivation of high-value freshwater aquatic species, with red tilapia emerging as an effective and sustainable farming model.
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