Monthly trajectories illustrate a clear and deepening contraction. January was a rare outlier, surging more than twofold year-over-year to $3 million, largely driven by a low base effect. Exports nearly halved in February before recovering slightly in March, rising 16% to a record $4 million for the first eight months. From April onward, exports performance experienced a continuous and severe decline: dropping by over 40% in April, nearly 60% in June, and plummeting by 70% in both July and August. The main reason was the high comparison base in 2025, when monthly exports in the middle of the year reached $6-8 million, compared with only around $2-4 million this year.
In 2025, tilapia exports to the U.S surged, supported by supply gaps and tariff advantages. The U.S initially announced a 46% reciprocal tariff on Vietnamese goods, which was subsequently revised downward to 20% effective August 2025. Concurrently, Chinese tilapia faced multiple additional tariffs totaling around 45%, while Brazilian tilapia faced additional duties of around 50%. Capitalizing on this tariff gap, Vietnamese enterprises significantly expanded their market share, generating over $53 million in export turnover - equivalent to nearly 8% of total U.S tilapia import value. Entering 2026, the macroeconomic landscape has shifted unfavorably. On the one hand, frozen seafood inventories in the U.S reached elevated levels in 2025 and residual stock within the distribution system continues to foster cautious procurement behavior among importers. On the other hand, tariffs levied on Chinese tilapia have been meaningfully reduced from their previous peak, currently standing at around 37.5% for frozen fillets. This has narrowed the tariff advantage previously enjoyed by Vietnamese products. In terms of market size, the U.S imported nearly 185,000 tons of tilapia in 2025, valued at approximately $690 million. While import volumes remained virtually flat, total value contracted by roughly 7%, reflecting intensifying downward price pressures and a consumer pivot toward more cost-effective product alternatives. Frozen fillets remained the leading product category, increasing by nearly 10%, while whole frozen tilapia declined by more than 11%. The average import price was around $3.7 per kg. Against this backdrop, China remains the biggest competitor to Vietnamese tilapia in the U.S market, while Indonesia and Brazil also compete in certain segments. Given the shrinking tariff advantages and incomplete inventory clearance in the U.S, Vietnam's tilapia exports are anticipated to face persistent headwinds throughout the latter months of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
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