This strong performance continues the upward trajectory seen in 2024, when exports of shelled mollusks totaled USD 218 million, up 72% year-on-year. These figures reflect not only the growing global demand but also the improving production capacity and export competitiveness of Vietnam’s mollusk industry.
Clams remained the leading export product within the shelled mollusk category, earning more than USD 14 million—up 41% compared to USD 10 million in the same period of 2024. Vietnamese clams have demonstrated strong competitiveness in international markets.
Among other mollusk products, snails and scallops achieved remarkable growth. Snail exports surged by 673%, rising from USD 2 million in the first two months of 2024 to USD 14 million during the same period in 2025. Scallop exports also increased sharply by 479%, from USD 2 million to USD 10 million.
Mussels and basket clams also showed promising growth, with exports increasing by 128% and 65%, respectively. In contrast, oyster exports declined by 43%, from USD 3 million to USD 2 million. Abalone exports dropped dramatically to just USD 623, down 99% compared to the same period last year (USD 96,579).
Diverse product portfolio and expanding market reach
Vietnam’s mollusk exports comprise a wide range of value-added products that are well received by international markets, including IQF boiled clam meat, half-shell boiled clams, whole clams, frozen scallop adductor muscles, frozen ark clam meat, and canned clam meat.
Vietnamese shelled mollusks are exported to traditional markets such as China, the European Union, Japan, the United States, and South Korea. In recent years, Vietnamese enterprises have also been expanding into new territories including Eastern and Northern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North and South America, and other parts of Asia.
With the strong growth achieved in 2024 and the early months of 2025, Vietnam’s shelled mollusk exports show significant potential for breakthrough development throughout the remainder of the year.
However, the industry is currently facing several challenges. These include declining seed quality, overstocking beyond the planned farming zones, and environmental degradation in farming areas—all of which undermine the reliability of raw material supply.
To ensure sustainable development of the mollusk sector, supportive policy mechanisms in investment and credit access are urgently needed for organizations and individuals engaged in mollusk production, processing, and trade. Ensuring price stability and profitability for farmers, alongside the establishment and expansion of specialized, high-quality mollusk farming zones, is critical for long-term sectoral resilience and growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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