In 2025, Vietnam’s seafood export turnover reached approximately USD 11.3 billion, an increase of more than 12% compared to 2024. This result reflects a relatively solid recovery in international market demand and highlights the initial effectiveness of strategic adjustments in production and export activities toward a more balanced approach between volume and value. The export structure continued to shift in a positive direction, with aquaculture products, deeply processed products, and value-added products playing an increasingly prominent role, thereby gradually reducing dependence on low-value and high-compliance-risk product groups.
Within the overall industry landscape, key products such as shrimp and pangasius continued to serve as the foundation, while bivalves, squid–octopus, crabs, and processed products recorded encouraging growth, indicating development potential across more diversified segments aligned with global consumption trends. Notably, the share of processed and value-added products continued to improve, reflecting a transition from raw material exports to finished products that better meet the requirements of developed markets.
In terms of markets, 2025 further reaffirmed the increasingly important role of Asia in Vietnam’s seafood export structure, with China and Hong Kong standing out as large, flexible markets capable of absorbing a wide range of products. At the same time, next-generation free trade agreements such as the CPTPP, EVFTA, and UKVFTA continued to demonstrate their effectiveness, enabling enterprises to expand markets, leverage tariff preferences, and gradually enhance their position in the global supply chain. Meanwhile, traditional markets such as the United States and the EU remained important but imposed increasingly stringent requirements related to legal compliance, environmental standards, and social responsibility, compelling enterprises to invest more heavily in risk management and supply chain transparency.
Alongside these achievements, 2025 also clearly highlighted the long-term challenges facing the seafood industry. Trade defense measures, regulations against IUU fishing, marine mammal protection requirements, together with the impacts of climate change and rising production costs, continue to directly affect the competitiveness of enterprises. These challenges are not merely short-term issues but require systematic and long-term adaptive strategies across the entire industry.
The Report on Vietnam seafood exports in 2025, implemented by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), provides the business community, regulatory authorities, and domestic and international partners with a comprehensive, systematic, and up-to-date overview of seafood export performance over the past year, while also offering strategic assessments for the period ahead. We expect the report to serve as a valuable reference, supporting policy formulation, business strategy development, and the promotion of sustainable growth for Vietnam’s seafood industry in an increasingly deep integration context.
VASEP respectfully invites enterprises, regulatory agencies, research institutions, and international partners to register for the Report to access in-depth, reliable information and data, contributing to policy planning, trade promotion, and the enhancement of the competitiveness of Vietnam’s seafood sector in the new phase of integration.
Please subscribe the Report on Vietnam seafood exports HERE or contact: Ms. Hai Yen; Email: nguyenyen@vasep.com.vn; Mobile: +84 8 5858 2626
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 81 million in April 2026, down 6% compared to the same period in 2025. In the first four months of the year, export turnover totaled USD 289 million, down 4.8%. Although the overall export picture has yet to brighten significantly, market trends are becoming increasingly diversified rather than moving in a single direction.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is undergoing strong restructuring starting from the broodstock and fingerling segment in order to improve productivity, quality, and export competitiveness. This is considered a critical foundation for the sustainable development of the industry amid rising production costs and increasingly stringent market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs data, pangasius exports in April 2026 reached USD 206 million, up 18% compared to the same period in 2025 — marking another consecutive month of double-digit growth since the beginning of the year. Cumulative pangasius export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 720 million, up 17% year-on-year, reflecting the positive growth momentum of this key export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the first four months of 2026 maintained positive growth momentum, reaching approximately USD 1.5 billion, up 15% compared to the same period last year. However, behind this result lies diverging trends across markets, as the global shrimp industry continues to face pressure from inflation, high inventories, price competition, and increasing trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Vinh Tuy commune (Kien Giang Province), many shrimp farmers are adopting bottom aeration systems and reporting clear economic benefits, helping increase income and reduce production risks.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of crabs and other crustaceans reached more than USD 93 million, up 23% compared to the same period last year. The result shows that the sector is experiencing a fairly positive recovery, especially in its two key product groups: crabs and swimming crabs. However, behind the growth figures are several concerns: export markets remain highly concentrated, raw material supply is unstable, and trade barriers from the US and EU are becoming increasingly stringent.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Ca Mau province, many farmers are transitioning from traditional methods to high-tech shrimp farming, adopting recirculating systems with minimal water exchange to improve efficiency and reduce risks. In Hung My commune alone, there are about 260 super-intensive shrimp farming households covering more than 265 hectares, playing a key role in local economic development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
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Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
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