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
(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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