For the first time with positive growth after 11 consecutive months of decline, the US regained its No. 1 position with 165 million USD of Vietnamese seafood import turnover in August, an increase of nearly 4% over the same period in 2022.
Although pangasius exports are still 24% lower, exports of all other key products to the US have recovered in the past month: shrimp increased by 11%, tuna increased by 2%, other marine fish increased by 12%, crab, cephalopods, and shellfish all increased from 24-56% over the same period last year.
It is recovering slowly, but the US market still has a better trend for frozen seafood consumption. While the retail price of fresh seafood in the US continues to decrease, the price of frozen seafood is increasing slightly by 0.5%. By August 2023, the number of US consumers eating out was higher than before, also a positive sign of consumption trends in the coming months.
By the end of August 2023, Vietnam seafood exports to the US have reached 1 billion USD.
By the end of August 2023, seafood exports to the US have reached 1 billion USD. It is forecast that for the whole year of 2023, this market will contribute 1.7 billion USD in export revenue for Vietnamese seafood, 23% less than in 2022.
Vietnam seafood exports to Japan and China in August were higher than the previous two months, but did not clearly reflect the recovery trend. However, the incident of Japan discharging nuclear waste is more or less disturbing the country's seafood trade with China and other markets. The impact until August is not clear, but it is possible that this will reduce Japanese seafood imports into China, Korea and some other countries.
Japan exports to China mainly mollusc products such as scallops, scallops, oysters, cephalopods, pollock, salmon, cod, cold water shrimp, etc for both domestic consumption and processing purposes. Japan’s move may help Vietnamese seafood gain more market share in some markets in the near future. Therefore, it is forecasted that seafood exports to China will increase again more strongly in the last 4 months of the year, both to meet demand during the Lunar New Year holiday and to partially offset the decline from the Japanese market
Exports of key products such as whiteleg shrimp, pangasius, tuna, tiger shrimp, squid, and frozen fish cakes are still lower than the same period in 2022
Vietnam seafood exports to Korea in August also reached the highest level since the beginning of the year, but compared to the same period, it was still 24% lower.
However, in addition to the main markets with different trends, there are many small markets that recorded growth in August, including: Australia, the Philippines, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and some markets in the EU such as Italy, Switzerland, Finland…
August 2023 also recorded a breakthrough for many aquatic products such as cod, pollock, crab, lobster, herring, mackerel, fish sauce... Products such as processed tuna, canned sea fish, shrimp, crab, processed pangasius, dried shrimp are having increased import demand compared to last year.
However, exports of key products such as whiteleg shrimp, pangasius, tuna, tiger shrimp, squid, and frozen fish cakes are still lower than the same period in 2022, causing overall export sales to not make a breakthrough.
Therefore, by the end of August, Vietnam's total seafood exports still had a negative growth of 24.5% compared to the same period in 2022. Exports of major products were 14 - 34% lower than the same period last year.
However, with more positive signs from the US and Chinese markets, pangasius and shrimp exports are forecast to progress better in the coming months. Accordingly, pangasius exports can bring in sales of 1.8-1.9 billion USD, shrimp exports are estimated to reach 3.6 billion USD and seafood products will reach about 3.5 billion USD. And, thus, it is forecast that total seafood exports in 2023 may reach about 9.1 - 9.2 billion USD, down 16% compared to 2022.
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached US$1.14 billion in August 2026, up 6.4% year on year, bringing the total for the first eight months to more than US$8.0 billion, an increase of 11.9%. Monthly export value remained above US$1 billion, but August growth was only around half the rate recorded cumulatively through the first eight months. This indicates that the eight-month result was supported significantly by stronger performance in earlier months, while market conditions are entering a less predictable period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius is attracting growing interest from Japanese seafood companies as prices of many traditional whitefish species remain high and supply becomes increasingly volatile. Notably, seafood group Kyokuyo has recently continued to feature pangasius among its priority products, highlighting its competitive pricing and stable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As Vietnam’s tilapia industry searches for new growth opportunities, venturing into brackish-water aquaculture could unlock a formidable competitive moat. Bypassing the volume-and-price bloodbath against established global heavyweights, Vietnam could differentiate itself through high-quality tilapia products tailored to specific farming conditions and value-added market segments.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) 2026 is rapidly shaping up to be a formidable stress test for Vietnamese pangasius exports to the United States. While exports to alternative markets maintain a resilient growth trajectory, the U.S market has declined significantly. In the first eight months of the year, pangasius exports to the U.S fell by nearly 14% year-on-year, with August alone recording a decline of more than 50%. The trend shows that difficulties in the U.S. market are not driven solely by weak consumer demand, but also by multiple layers of trade barriers that are intensifying simultaneously, particularly additional import tariffs, anti-dumping duties and growing protectionism for the domestic catfish industry.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan are showing positive signals in 2026, indicating that the market is opening up greater opportunities for pangasius products, particularly processed and value-added products. In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan reached US$31 million, up 20% year-on-year. In July alone, export value reached approximately US$5 million, up 30%.
On July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP detailing certain articles and providing measures for the organization and implementation of the Law on Foreign Trade Management. The Decree takes effect on September 5, 2026, replacing Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius producer Vinh Hoan has won the top prize at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Asia Awards for its Cured Panga Croquette, highlighting the growing potential of value-added pangasius products in international markets.
(vasep.com.vn) The Global Shrimp Forum (GSF) 2026 is taking place from September 1–3 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, bringing together around 585 delegates from 40 countries, representing approximately 300 companies and organizations across the shrimp supply chain. Representatives from VASEP are attending the event as part of the Vietnamese delegation, strengthening connections with partners across the global shrimp industry.
(vasep.com.vn) At the international B2B seminar (Hosted Buyer Program) held as part of Vietfish 2026, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Pham, Sales Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, delivered a presentation entitled “Vietnam’s Shrimp Industry: Changing for Sustainability.” From the perspective of a seafood processor, the presentation highlighted that Vietnam’s shrimp industry continues to play a leading role in seafood exports, but is entering a new phase of competition in which change is no longer an option, but a prerequisite for growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) VIETFISH 2026 may have concluded after three dynamic days in Ho Chi Minh City, but conversations around the exhibition continue to resonate across international trade media, industry organizations, and the social media channels of participating companies.
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