Since April 2025, following the U.S. government’s announcement of a temporary 10% tariff on a wide range of imports from Vietnam — including seafood — exporters have scrambled to adjust. Companies accelerated shipments to the U.S. in April and early May to mitigate the risk of being hit with higher duties — potentially up to 46% — once the 90-day temporary tariff window ends on July 9.
As a result, exports to the U.S. in May still rose 9.7% year-on-year to nearly USD 160 million. However, several exporters noted that shipments slowed significantly after May 20 as they adopted a more cautious approach. Rising costs, policy uncertainty, and market volatility have collectively dampened trading activity and weighed on the month’s overall export figures.
Shrimp remained a standout performer, with May exports rising 12.4% to USD 363 million — accounting for over 42% of the total value. For the January–May period, shrimp exports exceeded USD 1.66 billion, up 28.3%, driven by robust demand from the U.S., Japan, and CPTPP markets.
In contrast, pangasius (tra fish) exports plunged 17.3% in May to USD 138 million — the steepest drop among major seafood categories. Exporters have temporarily scaled back U.S.-bound shipments, aiming to avoid potential tariff hikes and restructure their market strategies. Companies like Caseamex are increasingly shifting focus to the EU and Asian markets, which are technically demanding but carry lower trade risks.
Tuna exports also fell sharply, down 23.2% in May to USD 65 million, amid rising logistics costs and intensified competition from Latin American suppliers.
In response to U.S. trade policy uncertainty, many Vietnamese seafood enterprises have pivoted toward market diversification and value-added processing. Exports to CPTPP markets such as Japan, Canada, and Mexico continued to rise, reaching USD 224 million in May (up 7.9%) and over USD 1.15 billion in the first five months (up 24.3%).
China and Hong Kong also recorded impressive growth, with May exports nearing USD 185 million and five-month value exceeding USD 900 million — increases of 22.3% and 48.6%, respectively. These gains reflect both Vietnam’s efforts to restructure export markets and strong demand for products that meet regional preferences in taste, pricing, and supply chain flexibility.
Many companies are also investing in deeply processed products — such as fish balls, marinated fillets, canned fish, and collagen derived from by-products — to tap into niche markets and meet rising demand for convenient food options, especially in major Asian urban centers.
Between now and July — when the U.S. is expected to finalize its tariff rates on certain Vietnamese goods — exporters will likely remain cautious in their U.S. strategies. Businesses must carefully time shipments to avoid tax exposure while retaining key customers. If the 10% tariff remains in place, exports may hold steady. However, if the 46% rate is enacted, a sharp decline in U.S.-bound exports is likely, forcing a more aggressive restructuring of market priorities.
In the long term, the industry must fully leverage free trade agreements (FTAs) such as CPTPP, EVFTA, and UKVFTA to diversify its export portfolio. Key structural improvements — including logistics cost reduction, infrastructure upgrades, and enhanced compliance with international standards — will also be crucial. Government support in the form of credit policies, sustainable farming programs, and investment in processing capacity will help improve overall competitiveness and long-term growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) For many years, Vietnam’s seafood industry has been recognized as one of the country’s key export pillars. Products such as shrimp, pangasius, tuna, squid, octopus, and a wide range of other seafood have reached hundreds of markets worldwide. Yet behind these impressive export figures lies a significant challenge: a substantial share of Vietnam’s seafood export value still comes from minimally processed products, contract manufacturing, and raw material exports—segments characterized by low profit margins and high vulnerability to fluctuations in global prices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the context of a global economy shifting powerfully toward green and sustainable values, Vietfish 2026 is far more than just a commercial trade fair. It has become a strategic rendezvous and a "comprehensive ecosystem"—a convergence of value, knowledge, and sustainable growth opportunities for the entire industry chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Colombia continued their strong upward momentum in May 2026. Export value to the market reached USD 4 million, up 24% compared to the same month in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 24 million, an impressive 48% increase year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Hai Phong's aquaculture sector is accelerating the adoption of high technologies in aquaculture to adapt to climate change, with red tilapia and tilapia identified as the key cultured species for priority development.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached nearly US$1.1 billion in June 2026, up 21.0% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first half of 2026 totaled nearly US$5.8 billion, representing a 12.8% increase compared with the same period last year. Exports to China and Hong Kong continued to accelerate, while shipments to the United States rebounded strongly in June. In contrast, exports to the EU, Japan, and the Middle East remained sluggish or recorded slight declines.
(vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is playing an increasingly important role in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, driven not only by growing market opportunities but also by its ability to meet increasingly stringent requirements on quality, food safety, and traceability. In practice, tilapia farming in Vietnam is not a spontaneous or loosely regulated activity; rather, it operates under a comprehensive legal and technical framework covering the entire value chain—from hatcheries and farming to processing and exports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.9 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 12% compared with the same period last year. Amid continued volatility in the global seafood market, this result demonstrates that the shrimp sector has maintained positive growth momentum, supported by improving demand in several Asian markets, particularly China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On June 16, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province announced that the locality has established a farming area code for nearly 30,400 hectares of mud crab aquaculture and granted export facility codes to five enterprises eligible to export mud crab officially to markets such as China, Cambodia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The United States remains one of the largest export markets for Vietnamese pangasius. In the first four months of 2026, pangasius exports to the US reached USD 106 million, up 4% compared to the same period in 2025. In April 2026 alone, export value totaled USD 38 million, marking a 20% year-on-year increase and the first positive growth recorded after an extended period of decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While Vietnam’s shrimp exports to many major markets continued to post positive growth in the first months of 2026, exports to the United States declined, highlighting growing competitive pressures and trade barriers facing the Vietnamese shrimp industry.
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