Currently, Vietnam's fish cakes and surimi products have been exported to 19 markets around the world. South Korea, Thailand, CPTPP, China and the US respectively are the 5 largest import markets for this product group of Vietnam in the first two months of this year, accounting for nearly 92% of the total export turnover. In general, over the same period, Vietnam's exports of fish cakes and surimi to almost all markets have decreased.
In the Korean market, after a decline of 16% in January 2023, the export of fish cakes and surimi to this market increased again in February. However, the growth rate was quite modest, only 14%. Therefore, accumulated in the first 2 months of the year, exports still decreased by 7% over the same period in 2022, reaching nearly 13 million USD.
Along with South Korea, exports to Thailand also decreased by 12% in the first two months of the year, reaching nearly 10 million USD. Although there is no sign of recovery, the rate of decline in exports to this market has slowed down.
In the CPTPP markets, fish cakes and surimi exports also fell by 13% over the same period. However, in February, exports recovered. Specifically, exports to the largest import markets, Japan and Malaysia, both decreased in the first 2 months of the year, by 20% and 3% respectively. But in February 2023, Vietnam's exports of fish cakes and surimi to these two markets increased by 13% and 70%.
Similarly in the Chinese market, exports of fish cakes and surimi also declined by 12% in the first 2 months of the year. However, it is worth mentioning that after a sharp drop of 83% in January, exports to this market nearly doubled in February. The reopening of the Chinese market in the first month of 2023 has created an opportunity for the Chinese market. Producers and exporters of fish cakes and surimi have the opportunity to expand their exports to this market.
The demand of the markets is tending to slowly recover, so the export of fish cakes and surimi in March and April will gradually increase again compared to the first months of the year.
Compiled by Thuy Linh
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(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
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