Surimi supplier TransOcean saw its sales jump by 10.2 percent last year -- nearly double the 5.6 percent growth IRI data recorded for the $94 million US surimi indsutry, TransOcean Vice Presdient of Sales and Marketing Lou Shaheen told IntraFish.
That upward revenue trend may continue, but not for the reasons that producers like TransOcean would hope. Wholesale prices for surimi blocks are up 20 percent to 25 percent this year over last, Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers Program Director Pat Shanahan told IntraFish. European processors told a similar story to IntraFish in February.
“It will increase our costs by about half that,” Shaheen said. Surimi blocks make up about half of the end product, he explained. “So it’s a significant increase to any company, but we’ve seen larger increases than that in the past few years.” Shaheen said TransOcean, a subsidiary of global giant Maruha Nichiro, will try not to pass on costs to consumers.
“We will look at other avenues to reduce our costs so that we don’t have to pass them along,” he said. Contracts with retailers may make it difficult to pass on costs, he added.
Yet markets outside the United States could be willing to absorb higher prices, considering the high global demand for the surimi.
“The increased demand is due to a number of factors, including the tsunami last year in Japan, which destroyed some surimi inventory, and the lack of lower cost tropical surimi on the global market,” Shanahan said.
Southeast Asian fishermen who catch species used in surimi may not be fishing due to the high cost of fuel, she said.
“There is also growing demand for surimi seafood products in Europe and in developing markets such as India and China. In addition, large surimi producers and exporters, -- Thailand is a good example – are starting to consume an increasing share of their own production in the domestic market.”
However, whether Alaska surimi producers decide to tap into the higher demand for surimi is yet to be seen, considering pollock is also in high demand in fillet form, Shanahan said. Last year, pollock producers responded to a higher global demand by producing more surimi.
(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.
(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.
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