In 2020, Vietnam's tuna industry brought an export turnover of 649 million USD, down nearly 10% compared to 2019. In which, the export of canned tuna and other processed tuna accounted for an outstanding proportion (52%) while frozen tuna accounts for 48%.
Tuna export decreased in the first half of the year, of which the strongest decline in the second quarter (-28%), in the third quarter it recovered slightly (up 2.1%) and in the fourth quarter only decreased by 0.5% over the same period of 2019 (reaching 172 million USD), demonstrating the flexibility of tuna exporters in using the opportunity to increase exports of canned and processed products. In product structure, exports of loin tuna and frozen fillets fell sharply (down 25%), mainly due to a decrease in the first 3 quarters of the year (in which the second quarter fell the most with a decline of 50%). The fourth quarter showed more positive signals with a decrease of only 4%. Meanwhile, canned tuna exports increased by 19% and the highest increase in the third quarter (up nearly 50%) and continued to increase 12% in the fourth quarter.
By the end of 2020, Vietnam's cephalopod exports reached $560 million, down 2.6% compared to 2019. Like tuna, cephalopod exports tended to recover in the second half of the year, whereby exports surged 12% in the third quarter and 10% in the fourth quarter reaching $162 million.
Frozen octopus accounted for the highest proportion (38%) with 216 million USD, down 11% mainly due to the deep drop in the first and second quarter (down 35% and 21%), but since the third quarter it has reversed with the increased by 11% and 3% respectively in the last 2 quarters of the year.
Frozen squid accounted for the second largest proportion (27%) with 154 million USD and surged 12% in the fourth quarter after declining in 3 consecutive quarters. Dried squid exports started to recover from the second quarter with a spectacular increase in 3 quarters: up 36% in the second quarter, 50% in the third quarter and 33% in the fourth quarter, bringing in $131 million in revenue in the past year, up 29% compared to 2019. Only processed octopus plummeted 20% to over 30 million USD in 2020 and decreased in the first 3 quarters of the year, then recovered slightly by nearly 4% in the fourth quarter.
In addition to tuna and cephalopod, exports of crab, bivalve mollusks and other marine fish all increased compared to 2019. In which, crab exports reached 182 million USD, up 22%, bivalve mollusk exports increased 12% to 105 million USD, other marine fish (except tuna) recovered slightly by 0.8% to 1.68 billion USD.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first six months of 2026 indicate that Vietnam’s tilapia industry is entering a new phase of development, with strong export growth but also greater demands for production scale, quality and international competitiveness.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Fishermen in Ha Tinh are gradually overcoming difficulties to maintain the efficiency of seafood exploitation. In the first six months of 2026, the entire province achieved a production of more than 23,000 tons of seafood, worth more than 1,200 billion VND.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) June 2026 brought encouraging signs for Vietnam's tuna exports, with export value rising 20% year-on-year to nearly USD 72 million. However, this increase has yet to offset the prolonged slowdown seen in key markets such as the European Union (EU), where import demand remains weak. The outlook for the second half of the year is expected to become more challenging as freight rates continue to climb.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in collaboration with the Agency for Domestic Market Management and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will organize the Domestic Seafood Supply–Demand Matching Program on the morning of August 20, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City. The program aims to foster direct business connections between Vietnamese seafood producers and processors and domestic distributors, retailers, and foodservice channels.
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