Not only these sectors broke the records but seafood exports in most markets also achieved impressive growth. In which, exports to the US will reach more than 2.1 billion USD by the end of the year.
The Chinese and HongKong market also hit the $1.8 billion mark for the first time in terms of value of seafood imported from Vietnam, with a growth rate of 57%. 2022 is also the first year China overtakes Japan to become the second largest Vietnam seafood import market.
However, in terms of proportion, both Japan and China account for 16% of Vietnam's seafood export value. Compared to 2021, seafood exports to Japan also recorded a relatively high growth of 31%.
31% is also the growth rate of the whole CPTPP market in 2022. It is estimated that seafood exports to this market will reach nearly $2.9 billion this year, accounting for more than 26% of Vietnam's seafood export proportion. In spite of high low demand and high competitiveness, Vietnamese seafood enterprises have effectively utilized the advantage of tariffs in this market.
ASEAN countries are also potential and favorable destinations for seafood enterprises this year with 27% growth expected to bring in sales of 767 million USD, accounting for 7% of the country's exports. The advantage of geographical location and economic stability of this region is the driving force for enterprises to boost exports to this market.
Exports to the EU and South Korea by the end of November both recorded high growth of 26% and 22%. It is expected that by the end of this year, these two markets will bring in $ 1.3 billion and over $ 950 million respectively, both of which are record high results.
The advantages in 2022 such as high demand, increased export prices, stable supply have been and will no longer continue in the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter of next year. Inflation penetrated deeply into the economies of the countries, causing demand and orders to drop sharply. Therefore, it is forecasted that exports in the first quarter of 2023 will decrease significantly compared to the fourth quarter and compared to the same period last year.
However, the seafood industry still has an optimistic outlook for the seafood exports in 2023. Enterprises should focus on markets with more stable economies, less affected by inflation, such as ASEAN, the Middle East and the CPTPP countries.
In particular, China's removal of strict control regulations for imported goods such as testing, sterilization and quarantine will clear a major bottleneck, opening more doors for exports to the world's most populous market. The consumption of a country of 1.5 billion people will not be able to keep up with the domestic supply that has been interrupted and limited in the past few years because of the zero-Covid policy. That will be an opportunity and advantage for Vietnamese enterprises in the coming time.
But most importantly, seafood enterprises need to be well- prepared with resources, raw materials, production capital and conditions, so that when the market stabilizes and recovers, they can quickly increase exports and win market share ahead of strong competitors such as Ecuador, India, China and other markets.
With a favorable production and business environment, the efforts, dynamism and flexibility of seafood enterprises will continue to bring positive export sales in the coming year.
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
(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.
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