The Southeast Asian nation is set to benefit from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) -- which entered into force Aug. 1, 2020 -- and high value added processing capacity, demand for which has greatly increased during the pandemic lockdown and heightened pressure on retail goods.
The EVFTA saw duties for raw product drop to 0% from Aug. 1, while the various cooked products are set to fall to 0% over the coming years.
There are 31 Vietnamese shrimp companies that can sell to the US duty-free under the current anti-dumping rate period of review.
Vietnam has avoided the most significant impacts of the coronavirus, with logistics fairly unimpacted and shrimp raw material production actually likely to be up yearon-year, according to Jim Gulkin, CEO and founder of Siam Canadian Group.
"No question, the increase in retail demand has been helpful for Vietnam," he said, adding that Thailand, though it has similarly high levels of value-added capacity, has been limited by its production, which hasn't increased to enable growth of sales into North American retail.
Willem van der Pijl, the founder of Shrimp Insights, said there was a good chance of a shift in sourcing preference in the European markets too.
"Things are changing in Europe for peeled shrimp in terms of sourcing strategies now," he said. "We see a bigger group of buyers that's doing direct sourcing. We see more diverse geographies. You'll see a switch -- further away from India and Indonesia, and to more Vietnam, due to the FTA.
"In Europe, Vietnam is really strengthening its position in retail, not only because of the product, but also because of the ASC [Aquaculture Stewardship Council] certication," he said. "Vietnam has by far the most volume of ASC certied product, especially for cooked [shrimp]. India is the other supplier, but it doesn't have as much cooked product; Vietnam does."
Robins McIntosh, senior vice president of Charoen Pokphand Foods, agreed. "Vietnam comes out of this as a winner, yes, they've made great advancements during this problem.
Jeff Sedacca, CEO Sunnyvale Seafood Co -- part of Zhanjiang Guolian Aquatic Products -- also noted that while Vietnam was set to emerge "the winner", "Indonesia is right behind them".
"Indonesia was already so geared to labor-intensive, value-added products. So they were able to fill in, where a lot of places weren't," he said.
Gulkin agreed, saying Indonesia had "taken advantage and increased its retail market share in the US".
Vietnam's sales to the US have remained more or less steady, though in June and July exports were up 29% and 47% respectively.
In the EU, meanwhile, total shrimp imports have dropped steeply in 2020, with the foodservice sector more or less out of action.
Vietnam's sales to the EU spiked in August, once the EVFTA entered into force. In August 2020, shrimp exports to the EU increased by nearly 16% over the same period in 2019.
It noted that while frozen black tiger shrimp tariffs have reduced from the generalized system of preferences level of 4.2% to 0% straight away, cooked vannamei would gradually decline to 0% after five years.
Source: undercurrentnews
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.069 billion, up 17.5% compared to the same period in 2025. This is a positive result amid an uneven global shrimp market recovery, intensifying competition among major suppliers, and continued volatility in the international trade environment. However, this growth does not reflect a broad-based recovery across the entire sector, but rather is driven mainly by strong performance in a few markets and specific product segments—most notably lobster exports to China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports continued to decline in March 2026. Cumulatively, in the first three months of the year, export value reached USD 208 million, down 4% compared to the same period in 2025. The export landscape shows clear divergence across markets: while the U.S. and EU remain challenging, markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Egypt, the Philippines, and Mexico have emerged as growth bright spots.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Quang Ngai Province, shrimp farming costs are rising sharply due to लगातार increases in feed, fuel, and input material prices, while farm-gate shrimp prices are declining. This has significantly reduced farmers’ profit margins and increased production risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the week from April 4th to 10th, 2026, Quang Ngai province intensified its monitoring and law enforcement activities with the determination to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanh Hoa’s shrimp sector is undergoing a strong transformation by accelerating the adoption of high technology, helping to improve productivity, increase profits, and meet market demands. The province currently has about 4,100 hectares of shrimp farming, with output continuing to rise despite stable farming area, mainly due to the shift from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive farming.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
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