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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.069 billion, up 17.5% compared to the same period in 2025. This is a positive result amid an uneven global shrimp market recovery, intensifying competition among major suppliers, and continued volatility in the international trade environment. However, this growth does not reflect a broad-based recovery across the entire sector, but rather is driven mainly by strong performance in a few markets and specific product segments—most notably lobster exports to China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports continued to decline in March 2026. Cumulatively, in the first three months of the year, export value reached USD 208 million, down 4% compared to the same period in 2025. The export landscape shows clear divergence across markets: while the U.S. and EU remain challenging, markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Egypt, the Philippines, and Mexico have emerged as growth bright spots.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Quang Ngai Province, shrimp farming costs are rising sharply due to लगातार increases in feed, fuel, and input material prices, while farm-gate shrimp prices are declining. This has significantly reduced farmers’ profit margins and increased production risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
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