According to the Directorate of Fisheries - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in 2020, the brackish water shrimp farming area in the country will reach 738,000 hectares, the total harvested output will be over 900,000 tons, of which black tiger shrimp is over 267,000 tons and white shrimp is over 512,000 tons. In which, in the Mekong Delta, brackish water shrimp farming area is concentrated in coastal provinces with over 680,000 ha, accounting for 92% of brackish water shrimp farming area of whole country. In 2021, Vietnam plans to produce brackish water shrimp on the area of 740,000 ha, mainly in the Mekong Delta… However, in the first months of 2021, the COVID-19 epidemic reappeared, seriously affecting seafood production chain and processing and export factories.
Mr. Ho Quoc Luc, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sao Ta Food Processing Joint Stock Company, said that due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, most of the costs of aquaculture feed and aquatic veterinary medicine increased, therefore the price of raw shrimp also increased. But the selling price of finished shrimp for export has not increased, because importing countries and consumers are still concerned with the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic. For example, in Thailand, India, Cambodia, etc., soon after opening the economy, the epidemic broke out again, making consumers insecure, consumption and import of seafood and shrimp still limited.
According to Mr. Vo Van Phuc, General Director of Vietnam Clean Seafood Joint Stock Company (Vina Cleanfood), compared to the same period last year, the export seafood industry has many advantages, but from the beginning of 2021 until now, there are many difficulties. Especially, shrimp raw materials are not enough, the price increased, while the export price of shrimp was not higher than last year. Factories that plan to store raw materials in the main season have to spend a lot of money on cold storage and bank interest rates. Up to now, the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has had a strong impact on input prices, plus an increase in export freight rates, increase in labor makes the production cost of the shrimp industry increase.
In the first months of 2021, despite facing many difficulties in production, trading and processing of shrimp for export, shrimp farming areas in the Mekong Delta are entering the new farming season with positive signs. Because, at present, the weather in the Mekong Delta changes seasons, rains early, shrimp farming areas are favorable and develop well. Many shrimp farming models apply new technology very effectively. Businesses investing in shrimp farms and many shrimp farming households forecast that this year's shrimp crop will be better, due to the good and stable farming process.
According to forecasts, the fact that Vietnam has and will join many new-generation trade agreements is an important premise to develop aquaculture production and brackish water shrimp exports in 2021. At the same time, according to the standard cycle. For shrimp consumption, the market usually gets better towards the end of the year. At the beginning of the third quarter of 2021, in the Northern Hemisphere countries in the summer, the people of these countries make a lot of travel, entertainment and entertainment, so consumption increases; Countries affected by the current rapid outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic also reduce shrimp farming areas, so the competitiveness of export output will decrease… That is a good condition for the shrimp industry to export in the coming time. However, shrimp prices cannot increase sharply in the near future, as prices are already high. It is forecasted that when in the peak season of shrimp harvest from June to September, shrimp prices are likely to decrease and at the end of the season will increase again.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in February 2026 reached approximately USD 707 million, up 8% compared to the same period last year. Cumulatively, exports in the first two months of 2026 totaled USD 1.7 billion, an increase of 20.2% year-on-year. The results show that the sector’s recovery momentum has remained relatively solid following strong growth in January, although the pace slowed noticeably in February for several key products and major markets. Within the overall picture, shrimp continues to be the largest pillar, pangasius rebounds strongly, while tuna exports and the U.S. and Korean markets are sending signals that warrant closer monitoring. In March, seafood exports are expected to gain additional momentum from markets other than the U.S., potentially supporting stronger growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first months of 2026, fishing activities in Quang Tri province recorded many positive signals, with output reaching over 15,941 tons. This result not only demonstrates fishermen’s efforts to stay offshore but also reflects the effectiveness of management and support measures implemented by local authorities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first months of 2026, IUU prevention models focused on communication and mobilizing fishermen to comply with fisheries laws and avoid encroaching on foreign waters—related to combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing—have been implemented in coastal localities of Lam Dong province and have delivered initial positive results.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The sharp rise in raw pangasius prices to record levels is sending positive signals for the industry, but experts warn of potential supply–demand imbalances if production is not tightly controlled.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, the country’s total canned tuna export value in 2025 reached over USD 275 million, down 8% compared to 2024. Vietnamese canned tuna products were present in approximately 80 markets worldwide. However, the 2025 picture shows clear divergence: the U.S. maintained stability, the EU declined sharply, while several Middle East–North Africa (MENA) markets accelerated.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s crab exports reached nearly USD 86 million, up almost 6% compared to 2024. A notable feature of 2025 was the strong market concentration in the United States, which accounted for more than 81% of Vietnam’s total crab export value, up 10% from the previous year. In contrast, exports to several Asian markets declined significantly, resulting in only modest overall growth for the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tilapia exports recorded impressive growth, with total export turnover reaching over USD 99 million, highlighting the increasingly important role of this product in the country’s seafood export structure. Of this total, tilapia fillets and other fish meat products accounted for USD 61 million, representing 61% of total export value and reaffirming their position as the key product category.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp seed quality is considered the “first link” and a decisive factor affecting the efficiency of the entire commercial shrimp production chain. High-quality seed directly influences survival rates, growth performance, and disease resistance, thereby determining production costs, productivity, and farmers’ profitability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of its agricultural restructuring strategy toward sustainability, Quang Tri Province is gradually promoting environmentally friendly aquaculture models. Among these, organic-oriented golden pompano farming is considered a promising direction, aligned with the goals of enhancing production value and building sustainable rural areas.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
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