In the export product structure, shrimp continued to play the leading role with more than USD 3.9 billion in the 10-month period. Besides the stable growth of vannamei and black tiger shrimp, the highlight of this year was lobster – a product with a rare breakout, reaching over USD 712 million, up 134%. This boom stemmed from surging demand in China and Hong Kong for live and premium shrimp, especially in the HORECA segment.
Pangasius – the second major product – recorded an export value of about USD 1.8 billion after 10 months. Notably, tilapia became a new bright spot with an impressive growth of 220% to USD 62 million and is being shaped as a potential strategic product for Vietnam, with increasing demand in the US and several European countries.
Meanwhile, tuna continued to face heavy pressure. Ten-month exports remained around USD 791 million, nearly 4% lower year-on-year due to shortages of skipjack for canned processing and ongoing supply chain disruptions caused by conflicts in the Middle East. Some exporters had to scale down production or shift to loin products to reduce costs. In contrast, the squid and octopus group showed clear recovery, bringing total 10-month export value above USD 627 million; demand in Japan, South Korea and the US improved significantly, particularly for frozen products for processing. Fish cakes and surimi also drew attention, reaching USD 291 million in 10 months – up 24% year-on-year, becoming one of the fastest-growing product groups in the sector.
In terms of markets, China and Hong Kong continued to serve as an “important anchor” for Vietnam’s seafood industry in 2025. As of the end of October, exports to this market exceeded USD 2 billion, up more than 32%, particularly strong in lobster, marine fish and live crab. The rising year-end demand for live seafood is opening significant growth opportunities for Vietnamese exporters.
In contrast, the US market entered a period of high volatility. Although 10-month exports to the US still increased year-on-year, reaching around USD 1.66 billion, a clear downward trend appeared from the third quarter due to the 20% countervailing tax applied from August. Key products such as shrimp and pangasius – which account for a large share – both declined in September and October as many exporters proactively adjusted shipment volumes to avoid losses. In addition, other challenges such as anti-dumping duties on shrimp and MMPA regulations – expected to directly affect wild-caught seafood from early 2026 – have turned the US into a “risk hotspot” for the industry.
Exports to Japan continued to recover steadily, with a 10-month value of nearly USD 1.45 billion, supported by strong consumption of shrimp, squid, marine fish and pasteurized crab. The EU was also a strong-growing market, reaching USD 985 million in 10 months, benefiting from the bloc’s relaxation of certain technical barriers for Vietnam’s farmed seafood. Meanwhile, exports to South Korea maintained double-digit growth, reaching USD 725 million thanks to high demand for squid, octopus and surimi.
CPTPP markets – especially Canada, Australia and Japan – remained the fastest-growing region, showing Vietnam’s strong advantages in utilizing tariff preferences.
There will still be many challenges in 2026, particularly the prolonged US countervailing tax, the potential impact of MMPA, the likelihood that the EU will maintain the IUU yellow card, and increasing competitive pressure from India, Ecuador and Indonesia. This requires Vietnamese exporters to proactively restructure markets, strongly develop value-added products, invest in processing technology and enhance sustainability standards to maintain long-term growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first months of 2026, IUU prevention models focused on communication and mobilizing fishermen to comply with fisheries laws and avoid encroaching on foreign waters—related to combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing—have been implemented in coastal localities of Lam Dong province and have delivered initial positive results.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The sharp rise in raw pangasius prices to record levels is sending positive signals for the industry, but experts warn of potential supply–demand imbalances if production is not tightly controlled.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, the country’s total canned tuna export value in 2025 reached over USD 275 million, down 8% compared to 2024. Vietnamese canned tuna products were present in approximately 80 markets worldwide. However, the 2025 picture shows clear divergence: the U.S. maintained stability, the EU declined sharply, while several Middle East–North Africa (MENA) markets accelerated.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s crab exports reached nearly USD 86 million, up almost 6% compared to 2024. A notable feature of 2025 was the strong market concentration in the United States, which accounted for more than 81% of Vietnam’s total crab export value, up 10% from the previous year. In contrast, exports to several Asian markets declined significantly, resulting in only modest overall growth for the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tilapia exports recorded impressive growth, with total export turnover reaching over USD 99 million, highlighting the increasingly important role of this product in the country’s seafood export structure. Of this total, tilapia fillets and other fish meat products accounted for USD 61 million, representing 61% of total export value and reaffirming their position as the key product category.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp seed quality is considered the “first link” and a decisive factor affecting the efficiency of the entire commercial shrimp production chain. High-quality seed directly influences survival rates, growth performance, and disease resistance, thereby determining production costs, productivity, and farmers’ profitability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of its agricultural restructuring strategy toward sustainability, Quang Tri Province is gradually promoting environmentally friendly aquaculture models. Among these, organic-oriented golden pompano farming is considered a promising direction, aligned with the goals of enhancing production value and building sustainable rural areas.
(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.
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