The export result in February was more positive than the previous month with a modest increase of 4%. However, this does not reflect the recovery trend as the same period in 2022 was the Lunar New Year.
Accumulated in the first two months of the year, seafood exports reached over $1.1 billion, down 26% over the same period in 2022. Of which pangasius exports fell by 38% to $240 million, shrimp fell by 37% to $350 million , and tuna fell 27% to 113 million USD. Exports of cephalopod and marine fish tend to be more positive with a growth of 6% each, reaching USD 103 million and USD 273 million, respectively.
The reopening of the Chinese market brings opportunity for Vietnamese seafood exporters, especially pangasius exporters
The reopening of the Chinese market has created favorable conditions for exporters. In Feb, seafood exports value to this market increased by 33% to 122 mil USD. Accumulating the first 2 months of 2023, seafood exports to China reached 158 mil USD, decreasing 7%.
The US and EU markets have not shown any sign of recovery in Feb, thus exports to these two markets fell by 35% and 8% respectively. By the end of February 2023, seafood exports to the US were down 53% to 164 mil USD, to the EU down 32% to 123 million USD.
Seafood exports to Korea, CPTPP countries and some other markets tend to be more positive. South Korea increased by 26% in importing Vietnamese seafood in February, while the CPTPP bloc increased by 14%. However, due to a sharp decrease in January, the results for the first 2 months of the year to these markets were still lower than in the same period.
The market demand is gradually recovering, especially at the Chinese market and many other small markets. The raw material of aquatic materials (shrimp, pangasius) will also increase in the next month, thus exports in March and April will increase.
|
Vietnam seafood exports in the first 2 months of 2023 (Mil USD) |
||||
|
Product |
Feb 2023 (estimated) |
Change(%) |
Jan-Feb/2023 (estimated) |
Change(%) |
|
Shrimp |
208.703 |
-15% |
350.130 |
-37% |
|
Pangasius |
156.157 |
-9% |
239.807 |
-38% |
|
Tuna |
62.466 |
-7% |
112.832 |
-27% |
|
Other fish |
157.736 |
59% |
273.192 |
6% |
|
Cephalopod |
60.290 |
76% |
103.106 |
6% |
|
Shell mollusc |
9.728 |
30% |
18.375 |
-5% |
|
Other molluscs |
1.173 |
23% |
1.261 |
18% |
|
Crab and other crustaceans |
6.516 |
-41% |
19.713 |
-42% |
|
Total |
662.770 |
4% |
1,118.417 |
-26% |
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(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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