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
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) More than five years after the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) took effect, Vietnamese seafood is steadily expanding its market share in the United Kingdom, one of Europe’s major seafood import markets with stable and diverse consumer demand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At Van Hung Commune, Khanh Hoa Province, the Khanh Hoa Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with the Northern Aquaculture Research Center and the Van Hung Public Service Center, organized a technical training course on the industrial-scale production of disease-free golden pompano (Trachinotus falcatus) seed for local marine fish farmers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports maintained a strong recovery in the first five months of 2026, reaching more than USD 302 million, up 17% compared to the same period in 2025. Growth was primarily driven by Asian markets, including South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and China, while exports to the United States and the European Union continued to face headwinds from cautious consumer demand and increasingly stringent compliance requirements.
Vietnamese seafood giant Minh Phu Group has inaugurated a VND1.5 trillion (US$57.4 million) seafood processing plant in Ca Mau Province.
(vasep.com.vn) From 19–21 August 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the theme "Innovation – Sustainability", Vietfish 2026 continues to serve as Vietnam's flagship annual seafood event, bringing together seafood producers, exporters, importers, buyers, industry experts, government agencies, and stakeholders from across the domestic and global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in May 2026, reaching USD 14 million, up 18% compared with the same month last year. Cumulative export value for the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 62 million, representing a remarkable 101% increase over the same period in 2025, highlighting the sector’s strong recovery in international markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 367 million in the first five months of 2026, down 7% compared to the same period in 2025. While the decline is not yet severe, the more concerning issue is that pressure is mounting in key markets such as the United States and the European Union, just as ocean freight rates are rising sharply on long-haul routes. The current situation is therefore not merely about slower orders, but rather a clear restructuring phase for Vietnam’s tuna industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2026 marks a period of strong growth for Vietnam’s tilapia industry, but it is also a time when international export competition is becoming increasingly intense. Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 99 million in 2025, up 140% compared to the previous year. In the first four months of 2026 alone, export value reached USD 49 million, a 151% increase year-on-year. As global demand for affordable whitefish continues to rise, Vietnam is emerging as a noteworthy competitor to traditional tilapia powerhouses such as China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With continued policy support, technological innovation and close coordination among authorities, businesses and farmers, Vietnam’s pangasius industry is expected to make a strong and sustainable breakthrough during the 2026–2030 period, reinforcing its position as the world’s leading exporter of the fish.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to Asian markets showed varying trends across regions and countries. The Middle East recorded strong growth, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the largest Asian market for Vietnamese tilapia. ASEAN markets also expanded significantly, driven primarily by Malaysia. Meanwhile, Japan maintained solid growth, while exports to South Korea declined compared to the same period in 2025.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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