Key Markets Show Strong Growth
South Korea and Thailand remain the two largest markets, importing USD 49 million (up 21%) and USD 46 million (up 24%) respectively in the first seven months of the year. Both markets consume these products directly and reprocess products for regional distribution.
Within CPTPP markets, export value of this product group rose 23% to USD 31 million. Japan led with a 25% growth, reflecting signs of recovery in traditional processed products. Malaysia and Singapore also showed positive growth at 19% and 21%, respectively.
Notably, in July 2025 alone, exports to China and Hong Kong skyrocketed by 104% year-on-year. Cumulative exports for the first seven months reached $26 million, rise 57%, driven by rising demand for both consumption and reprocessing.
The EU emerged as a bright spot, with July imports surging 89%. Total exports for the period reached $16 million, up 47%, led by Lithuania and Spain.
By contrast, the U.S. market remained modest at $6 million with a slight increase (2%). However, July 2025 saw a sharp 74% decline compared to July 2024, due to new countervailing tariff policies and cautious importers.
Global market context
On the international market, global surimi supply remains abundant, keeping prices under downward pressure. Japanese buyers are selective, accepting price increases only for premium grade-A surimi, while lower-grade products maintain stable prices. In the EU, declining inflation has boosted purchasing power, supporting demand for mid-value processed products. South Korea increased seafood imports in the first half of 2025, strengthening its role as one of Vietnam’s key markets.
Meanwhile, the U.S is considered the most policy-risk-prone market. New countervailing tariffs may affect potentially undermining competitiveness, especially as exemptions for specific HS codes remain unclear.
Outlook for the second half of 2025
In the latter half of 2025, Asian markets are expected to continue driving growth in Vietnam’s fish cakes and surimi exports, supported by stable demand and flexible pricing. The EU is forecast to maintain its recovery momentum, with a focus on convenient, small-packaged products catering to cost-conscious consumers. China and Hong Kong show strong growth potential but face intense competition from Russian and ASEAN suppliers.
The U.S. remains the most unpredictable market. Businesses are advised to secure contracts only with clear tariff confirmations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached $989.5 million in November 2025, up 64.6% year-on-year. The robust monthly performance played a pivotal role in driving the total export turnover for the first 11 months of 2025 to $10.5 billion, representing a 19% increase compared with the same period in 2024.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s crab exports reached USD 81 million in the first 11 months of 2025, with the United States accounting for more than 82% of total value. While newly imposed reciprocal tariffs and the enforcement of provisions under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) pose significant challenges for Vietnam, the European Union is emerging as a promising growth market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Ca Mau Department of Agriculture and Environment has recently issued a plan to develop specialized crab raw material zones serving official export channels, covering a scale of around 50,000 hectares. This marks a significant shift in the sea crab industry towards professional production aligned with market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.comvn) According to the Tay Ninh Statistics Office, fisheries output in the province fell significantly in November 2025 due to the impact of storms and heavy rainfall, which delayed harvesting activities, particularly for pangasius.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States (1995–2025). In parallel with the nation's progress in international economic integration, bilateral seafood trade has followed a remarkably impressive growth trajectory, expanding from an initial scale of just tens of millions of US dollars to nearly $2 billion annually. This growth has positioned the United States as Vietnam’s largest seafood export market for many consecutive years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 12, 2025, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processing and Export (VASEP) issued document 231/CV-VASEP regarding strengthening measures to combat IUU fishing and working with the Government to lift the EC's IUU yellow card warning.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is easy to farm and provides high economic and nutritional value, making it a sought-after export commodity in many countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in the first 10 months of 2025 recorded significant progress, reaching more than USD 9.5 billion, up 15% year-on-year. This result reflects the sector’s persistent efforts amid a highly volatile market, especially policy shocks from the US Although signs of slowdown emerged in the third quarter due to countervailing taxes, key product groups still maintained strong momentum and created a foundation for full-year exports to reach USD 11 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s agreement with the United States on a framework for reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade—reached during the 2025 ASEAN Summit in Malaysia—has generated strong optimism for Vietnamese exports, including tuna. Numerous positive points in the joint statement have raised high expectations for Vietnamese export goods, but turning these expectations into tangible benefits remains a long and challenging journey.
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