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) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the week from April 4th to 10th, 2026, Quang Ngai province intensified its monitoring and law enforcement activities with the determination to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanh Hoa’s shrimp sector is undergoing a strong transformation by accelerating the adoption of high technology, helping to improve productivity, increase profits, and meet market demands. The province currently has about 4,100 hectares of shrimp farming, with output continuing to rise despite stable farming area, mainly due to the shift from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive farming.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang City has fully implemented all recommendations from the European Commission (EC) regarding the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, creating an important foundation for the removal of the “yellow card” in the near future.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Hoa Vang district (Da Nang City), red tilapia farming is demonstrating clear economic efficiency, becoming a promising livelihood that helps many households increase their income. A notable example is the model of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Nam, who operates two red tilapia ponds covering more than 4 hectares, generating stable annual income.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(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.
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