In the second quarter of 2012, Vietnam bought a total of US$173.4 million of raw fish from outside. In January – June 2012, it imported raw fish from 69 countries and territories with the total value of US$331 million, including US$13 million from returned fish cargo.
The most important supplier of Vietnam was Taiwan, mostly marine fish species. In which skipjack tuna accounted for the largest proportion.
Indonesia and Thailand were also main tuna suppliers of Vietnam. In addition, Vietnam processors purchased a great volume of shrimp from these countries as they failed to find enough fish in domestic market and the price was much higher than that of imported shrimp.
For the period, versue exports, the proportion of imported seafood into Vietnam for outsourcing and re-export was nearly 11 percent. So products derived from imported fish occupy a part in the national export earnings. Being similar to other local producing countries like Thailand, Vietnam government needs to review and amend its policies on import tax, quality inspection of exported seafood to the EU and bank guarantee for tax payment grace…in order to help seafood companies get more raw material for processing and re-export, bringing higher revenue and keeping jobs for workers.
In Q.II/2012, imported fish still remained under the pressure of high quarantine fees for consignment regulated in Circular No.4/2012/TT-BTC by Vietnam Ministry of Finances. Importers must be charged of the quarantine fee which is 300 percent higher than those set in the Circular 199/2010/TT-BTC of 13th December 2010. The fee calculation will be based on consignment weight.
In addition, ocean freight was two times higher than last year, leading to huge cost for imported fish. While Vietnamese seafood processors were grappling with serious lack of capital for operating, Vietnam Customs (under Ministry of Finances) suggested that companies needed bank guarantee to get import tax payment grace period of 275 days. Many of them worried that the complex procedures may lead to waste of time and money.
In 2012 and the coming years, Vietnam seafood companies are predicted to struggle with persistent difficulties concerning lack of capital and rise of 10 – 35 percent in all input (electricity, water, worker salary, raw material supply, testing fees, fuel, packaging…), so that import of seafood material for further processing to export is expected to rise.
|
Vietnam import of fish, Jan – Jun 2012 |
|||||
|
No. |
Origin |
Value (US$) |
No. |
Origin |
Value (US$) |
|
1 |
Taiwan |
34,844,390 |
12 |
Canada |
9,020,162 |
|
2 |
Indonesia |
29,545,130 |
13 |
Ecuador |
8,287,990 |
|
3 |
The U.S. |
25,205,436 |
14 |
Denmark |
7,684,646 |
|
4 |
Norway |
22,358,624 |
15 |
China |
7,184,402 |
|
5 |
Japan |
21,026,424 |
16 |
Spain |
5,195,361 |
|
6 |
South Korea |
20,875,321 |
17 |
Tuvalu |
4,724,041 |
|
7 |
Thailand |
19,457,384 |
18 |
New Zealand |
4,665,734 |
|
8 |
Poland |
15,824,140 |
19 |
Myanmar |
4,317,854 |
|
9 |
India |
13,053,798 |
20 |
The U.K |
3,895,645 |
|
10 |
Russia |
10,553,422 |
|
Others |
54,105,118 |
|
11 |
Chile |
9,111,025 |
|
Total |
330,936,047 |
(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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the conference on “Linking the Production and Consumption Chain of Ca Mau Crab 2025,” Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee Lê Văn Sử posed a central question: how to shift the province’s crab exports toward official trade channels, instead of relying heavily on small-scale border trade with China as currently practiced.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The whitefish market in Japan is showing a clear divergence among supplying countries, in which Vietnam continues to affirm its role as a stable and high-potential exporter. Vietnam currently ranks third after the US and Russia in whitefish export value to Japan. Thanks to tariff incentives and the ability to meet Japan’s strict standards, Vietnamese pangasius continues to record a stable and positive growth trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The People's Committee of Ca Mau Province has just issued a plan to expand the super-intensive, low-water-exchange, biosecure white-leg shrimp farming model (RAS-IMTA) for whiteleg shrimp farming to a scale of 1,500 hectares, aiming to develop high-tech, sustainable and environmentally friendly shrimp farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company (HNX: SGC) plans to issue over 7.1 million shares to raise nearly 465 Billion VND for Hoan Ngoc M&A Deal.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Rabobank, global tilapia production is forecast to exceed 7 million tons in 2025, driven by a strong recovery in major producing countries including China, Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Among them, Vietnam is emerging as a potential tilapia supplier in the global supply chain, capitalizing on market fluctuations to expand production and exports.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn