Clear signals from major exporting countries
Ecuador, traditionally known for exporting HOSO (head-on, shell-on) shrimp to China, has now accelerated its move into the processed product segment, particularly for the U.S. and EU markets. In June 2025, Ecuador exported a record 126,074 tons of shrimp, up 18% year-on-year. Exports to the U.S. reached 21,388 tons (+44%) and to the EU reached 28,617 tons (+42%).
Beyond volume growth, Ecuador has also strengthened exports of peeled, quick-cleaned, and processed products such as PD, PPV, and HLSO shrimp. The country’s value-added output surged from 127,980 tons in 2020 to 268,720 tons in 2022, doubling in just two years.
India, despite facing heavy U.S. anti-dumping duties (nearly 60%), has maintained positive shrimp export growth to the U.S. in the first seven months of this year. However, the pressure from the U.S. market has pushed Indian exporters to pivot toward the EU, where India is negotiating the removal of import restrictions starting October 2025. If successful, competition in the EU—especially in the ready-to-eat and processed segments—is expected to intensify.
Indonesia, meanwhile, faces significant challenges as 60% of its shrimp exports depend on the U.S. The country’s total exports in 2025 are projected to reach only around 220,000 tons. The newly imposed 19% U.S. tariff could cause a 30% export decline, forcing many expansion plans to halt. Indonesian exporters are now turning to China (which imports nearly 1 million tons per year) and the Middle East, but lower prices are squeezing profit margins.
Consumer demand reshaping the market
On the demand side, the U.S., EU, and China are showing a clear preference for value-added shrimp products.
Europe: Rapid growth in demand—particularly in Southern Europe—driven by younger consumers favoring convenient, ready-to-eat products, along with strict sustainability certification requirements.
China: Still self-sufficient for around 70% of domestic consumption but increasingly importing to diversify. Consumers there enjoy everything from frozen whole shrimp to ready-to-cook or ready-to-eat items.
United States: Continues to increase imports from Ecuador while imposing high tariffs on India, creating indirect opportunities for suppliers with transparent supply chains such as Vietnam.
This consumer shift is putting major pressure on exporters that still rely heavily on raw materials. Countries that invest early in processing capacity, product standardization, and international certifications will gain a competitive edge in the new landscape.
Opportunities and challenges for Vietnam
As a global processing hub, Vietnam faces both opportunities and challenges. Vietnamese shrimp processors have a total capacity of millions of tons per year, capable of supplying a wide range of products—from frozen blocks to cooked, breaded, and retail-packed value-added shrimp. This gives Vietnam a significant advantage in adapting to the ongoing trend.
However, major import markets such as the U.S. and EU are also tightening regulations on food safety and trade fraud prevention, creating new compliance burdens for exporters.
In the first eight months of 2025, Vietnam’s value-added shrimp exports (HS code 16) reached USD 1 billion, up 12% year-on-year, accounting for 34% of total shrimp export value. The main markets for Vietnam’s value-added shrimp include the U.S. (28% share), Japan (18%), and South Korea (8%).
The transition from raw shrimp to value-added products is accelerating rapidly. Ecuador stands as a vivid example, having increased both export volume and processing proportion to expand into the U.S. and EU. India and Indonesia are also being forced to adapt to retain their market shares.
This presents a crucial opportunity for Vietnam. By leveraging its strong processing base, enhancing supply chain transparency, complying with sustainability standards, and investing in product innovation, Vietnam can solidify its position as a global center for value-added shrimp processing.
In an era of fierce competition, the future of the shrimp industry will no longer rely on raw production volume—but on value-added innovation and sustainable branding.
(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.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
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