Products of Kien Cuong Seafood
Among export markets, South Korea remains the largest importer, with imports in the first five months of 2025 exceeding USD 100 million, accounting for 36% of Vietnam’s total exports and up 6% compared to the same period in 2024. Vietnam mainly exports frozen cuttlefish and boiled octopus to this market.
Japan follows with nearly USD 69 million, up 19% year-on-year. Exports of squid and octopus to Japan have been on the rise thanks to stable demand and the appeal of high-quality products such as sashimi and boiled octopus.
Exports to China are also rebounding strongly, with high growth over the past two months after a decline earlier this year. This rebound is attributed to the reopening of the Chinese market, which has recently increased imports of frozen and semi-processed squid to serve its food service sector. Export value to China in the first five months reached more than USD 26 million, a 2% increase year-on-year.
Exports to the EU have also accelerated in recent months. With a total value of nearly USD 15 million in the first five months (up 11% year-on-year), the EU ranks as Vietnam’s fifth-largest market for squid and octopus. Exports to the bloc’s top three markets—Italy, Spain, and Belgium—grew by 6%, 71%, and 24% respectively.
In addition, several emerging markets such as the Philippines, UAE, Cambodia, and Canada recorded growth of over 40% compared to the same period last year, showing great potential in the mid-range and convenience product segments.
Forecasts suggest that Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports in the first five months of 2025 have made a strong start, laying a solid foundation for reaching the target of over USD 700 million for the full year. As the global market shows signs of recovery, enterprises need to invest more in deep processing, traceability, and expanding access to emerging markets to enhance the sustainability of this strategic industry. However, to achieve this target, businesses also need government support in facilitating the domestic raw material supply, and in promptly resolving bottlenecks related to the certification and verification of harvested seafood.
(vasep.com.vn) On November 11, 2026, in Can Tho, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will organize the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029: Opportunities and Headroom for Double-Digit Export Growth.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Business leader Do Ngoc Tai, General Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, was honored by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with the title “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur – Thanh Giong Cup 2026” at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). The event took place on the evening of October 11, 2026, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market is becoming increasingly segmented, not only among producing countries but also by product type and destination market. Supply is divided into groups with distinct competitive advantages: large volumes of whole fish and frozen fillets from Asia, high-value fresh fillets from Latin America, and substantial domestic consumption in several major producing countries.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK grew in the first eight months of 2026, despite signs of slowing import demand in the market. However, sharp fluctuations in orders, competition from major suppliers, and new traceability requirements are creating challenges for Vietnamese exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam is stepping up efforts to combat illegal fishing, protect marine ecosystems, expand digital monitoring, and develop science-based management to ensure the sea can support communities and the economy for generations to come.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The EU remains a critical market for Vietnamese shrimp; however, purchasing demand and import patterns are undergoing notable changes. According to Vietnam Customs data, as of September 15, 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU reached nearly $374 million, down 5% year-over-year and accounting for 10.7% of the country’s total shrimp export value. Meanwhile, the EU’s stotal shrimp imports through July 2026 contracted by 7% in volume, exhibiting divergent trends across Southern Europe, Northwestern Europe and Eastern Europe. These dynamics necessitate that Vietnamese enterprises closely monitor individualized market demand, rather than approaching the EU as a monolithic consumer block.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of surimi and fish cakes remained relatively stable year-over-year compared to 2025. Following a contraction in the initial months, export performance demonstrated improvement from June onward, peaking in August. However, the recovery has been uneven, characterized by divergent trends across major markets: robust growth was recorded in China, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan, whereas export volumes to South Korea, Indonesia, and select European markets contracted.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains one of Dong Thap’s key aquaculture species, with the province focusing on developing an integrated value chain covering seed production, commercial farming, deep processing and by-product utilization. The province is promoting high-tech, circular pangasius farming models featuring reduced water exchange and enhanced biosecurity, aiming to improve production efficiency and strengthen control over raw material quality.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in September 2026 are estimated at US$1.135 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, bringing total exports in the first nine months of the year to US$9.103 billion, up 11.4%. Behind this double-digit growth, however, increasingly divergent market trends are emerging: China–Hong Kong and ASEAN posted strong growth, while the U.S., EU and Japan all recorded declines in September.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Brazil became the largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, with export value reaching US$44 million, up 22,142% year-on-year and accounting for 49% of Vietnam’s total tilapia exports. In August alone, exports to Brazil reached US$4 million. However, behind this remarkable growth is a market that is imposing increasingly stringent requirements on imported supplies.
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