According to Vietnam Customs statistics, South Korea remained the largest importer of Vietnamese fish cakes and surimi, with export value reaching USD 12 million, accounting for 26% of total exports. Thailand ranked second with over USD 10 million (23.1%), followed by China with USD 6 million (14%), which also recorded one of the strongest growth rates among key markets, increasing by 37% year-on-year.
In addition, exports to Japan reached nearly USD 5 million, up 4%, while shipments to Lithuania totaled nearly USD 3 million, surging by 53%. Notably, exports to the United States, though still modest at nearly USD 2 million, rose sharply by 173% compared to the same period in 2025. At the regional level, exports to the EU exceeded USD 3 million, up 53%, while exports to China and Hong Kong reached USD 6 million, up 33%.
However, market developments also reveal clear divergence. Some traditional markets recorded declines, with South Korea down 6% and Thailand down 2%, while exports to ASEAN countries fell by 4% in the first two months of the year. This reflects continued competitive pressure in nearby markets, particularly in the mid-range, mass-market segment.
The growth in fish cake and surimi exports in early 2026 reflects relatively stable demand for processed, convenient, and reasonably priced products. This category also has strong potential for expansion across multiple markets, as it aligns well with consumer trends favoring affordability, ease of preparation, and diverse distribution channels—from retail to foodservice.
In 2026, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi sector is expected to have further growth opportunities in markets such as China, the EU, Japan, and the United States. However, businesses will continue to face challenges including raw material supply fluctuations, pricing pressure, rising production and logistics costs, and increasingly stringent requirements on quality, food safety, and traceability in importing markets.
In this context, the sector’s ability to sustain growth will depend on companies’ capacity to secure raw material supply, improve product quality, and better capture demand in recovering markets. With positive results from the beginning of the year, fish cakes and surimi are emerging as one of the bright spots in Vietnam’s seafood exports in 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(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.
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