Increasing seafood imports from India
Since 2011, India has been the top supplier of fishery products to Vietnam with 20-percent proportion in Vietnamese import value. Vietnam mainly sources whiteleg shrimp and marine fish to process to export. In which, shrimp occupies 90 percent, the rest is tuna and cephalopod.
In the past years, Vietnam purchased more black tiger shrimp than whiteleg shrimp from India. In 2013, the proportion of whiteleg shrimp increased to 51 percent (3 folds above that of 2012) while black tiger shrimp was down by half to 37 percent year on year.
This decline was because India reduced its production of black tiger shrimp. Indian farmers grew more whiteleg shrimp to serve supply demands from global market and they did not face EMS disease.
|
Vietnamese fish imports from India, 2009 – 2013 (US$) |
|||||
|
Products |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Shrimp |
3,914,003 |
4,672,522 |
79,362,442 |
53,705,313 |
112,250,481 |
|
Tuna |
155,960 |
46,820 |
408,213 |
553,513 |
1,373,594 |
|
Cephalopod |
1,734,652 |
1,820,647 |
4,477,928 |
2,410,380 |
9,295,611 |
|
Bivalve mollusk |
|
145,000 |
105,600 |
|
150,684 |
|
Crab, swimming crab and other crustaceans |
|
43,133 |
136,015 |
45,661 |
|
|
Other fish products |
396,380 |
427,958 |
1,691,064 |
478,640 |
283,502 |
|
Total |
6,672,089 |
7,156,079 |
86,181,261 |
57,193,506 |
123,353,873 |
|
Growth rate (%) |
|
7.3 |
1,104.3 |
-33.6 |
115.7 |
Exports to India
|
Exports of agricultural and seafood products to India (US$ mil.) |
||||
|
2009 |
2110 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
|
Coffee |
22.51 |
24.03 |
45.69 |
57.52 |
|
Pepper |
15.03 |
18.5 |
36.3 |
38.40 |
|
Cashew |
2.89 |
18.09 |
12.46 |
16.97 |
|
Seafood products |
- |
4.62 |
12.13 |
14.93 |
Exports of Vietnamese goods to India reported a considerable growth rate in terms of value. Over the recent five years, goods exports to this market got an average increase of US$320 million per year, equal to 46.22 percent. Products sent to India are diversified in varieties and in higher value. Thanks to these, Vietnamese products are expanding their footprints in the market and gaining the confidence of consumers there.
Agricultural and seafood products made up of the second largest part in Vietnamese goods exports to India. In long term, these products are expected to be Vietnam’s export items with high potential and competitiveness in Indian market.
Vietnamese exporters have accelerated sales of these items to India since 2010. In 2012, earnings from seafood valued at about US$5 million. Pangasius products are the most important in seafood export to the market. Over the years, pangasius made up of from 58 to 100 percent in Vietnamese seafood shipments to India. Whiteleg shrimp and marine fish products like surimi occupy a very small amount.
In 2013, Vietnam only sold pangasius to India and imported other fishery products from this market.
|
Vietnam fish exports to India, by products (US$) |
||||||
|
No. |
Products |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
1 |
Dried products HS0305 (exclude tuna and pangasius) |
14,379 |
|
11,100 |
|
|
|
2 |
Surimi and fish paste (include tuna and pangasius-derived products) |
39,200 |
336,300 |
286,000 |
104,000 |
|
|
3 |
Fish fillets and fish meats HS0304 (exclude surimi and fish paste and tuna and pangasius) |
63,158 |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
Processed fish products HS16 (exclude tuna and pangasius) |
|
8,643 |
|
|
|
|
Other fish products (HS from 0301 to 0305, and HS 1604, exclude tuna and pangasius) |
116.737 |
336,300 |
305,743 |
104,000 |
|
|
|
5 |
Tuna HS 0304 (exclude surimi and fish paste) |
80,438 |
|
|
138,750 |
|
|
Tuna (HS 03 and 16) |
80.438 |
|
|
138,750 |
|
|
|
6 |
Live/fresh/frozen/dried pangasius HS03 (exclude fish of HS0304) |
539 |
|
|
1.421
|
|
|
7 |
Pangasius HS0304 (exclude surimi and fish paste) |
556,487 |
2,884,319 |
7,118,027
|
10,566,438
|
14.282.027
|
|
Pangasius (HS 03 and 16) |
556.487 |
2,884,888 |
7,118,027
|
10,566,438
|
14,283,448
|
|
|
8 |
Fresh/frozen black tiger shrimp (HS03) |
|
288834
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
Live/fresh/frozen whiteleg shrimp (HS03) |
1,394,539 |
4,415,450
|
4,124,597
|
|
|
|
Shrimp of all products (HS 03 and 16) |
1,394,539 |
4,704,284
|
4,124,597
|
|
||
|
Total |
753.661 |
4,615,727 |
12,128,054
|
14,933,785 |
14,283,448 |
|
|
Growth rate (%) |
|
512,4 |
162,8 |
23,1 |
-4,4 |
|
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a fairly strong upward trend in 2025, Vietnam’s clam exports entered 2026 with a mixed picture: strong growth at the beginning of the year, followed by a slowdown from March onward. According to Vietnam Customs data, Vietnam’s clam export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached more than USD 38 million, up 2% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
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