The export deceleration in May can be explained by the unfavorable weather. Rainfall earlier than usual affects the fishery production and causes disease in farmed shrimp, leading to a decrease in shrimp production. At the same time, the inventories from 2021 have also been depleted.
Particularly, shrimp exports in June decreased by 1% compared to the same period last year because of the shortage of raw materials. In July, shrimp exports continued to decrease by nearly 13% to reach 385 million USD. Accumulation of 7 months, shrimp exports brought in 2.65 billion USD, rising 22% over the same period last year.
Shrimp production and the world shrimp demand are not expected to be positive in the last 6 months of the year. Shrimp production from other suppliers increased sharply while import volume of major markets such as the EU and US are slowing down because of high inventory and decrease in demand. Meanwhile, the domestic production of raw shrimp is facing difficulties due to the adverse weather and rising production costs. As a result, Vietnam would experience a shortage of raw shrimp in the second half of the year.
Unlike the shrimp, the source of raw materials for pangasius is not a big problem. However, the demand also tends to decrease in some markets. Therefore, Vietnam’s pangasius exports also slowed down in the second quarter. In July, pangasius exports reached 197 million USD, an increase of 56%. Accumulated until the end of July, pangasius exports reached over 1.6 billion USD, up 79% over the same period last year.
Price inflation and the trend of increasing export prices have led to a decrease in demand in major markets to adapt to the changes. However, pangasius is still an advantageous commodity when inflation is too high in many markets. Consumers will tighten their spendings and switch to more affordable products such as frozen pangasius fillets or fish cakes, surimi as well as some other frozen products, etc.
Exports of tuna, other marine fishes and cephalopod still maintained a high growth rate of 37-44% in July. By the end of July 2022, Vietnam tuna exports increased by 53% to 641 million USD. Exports of cephalopods increased by 31% to 417 million USD, other marine fishes increased by 16% to over 1.1 billion USD.
The increase in inventories along with inflation has affected the import demand of the US since June. Consequently, Vietnam's seafood exports to this market decreased by 8% in June and continued to fall deeply by 23% in July. Accumulating the first 7 months of the year, exports to the US reached nearly 1.5 billion USD, 31% increase over the same period last year.
Exports to the EU still maintained a growth rate of 28% in July. Accumulated in 7 months, Vietnam seafood exports to the EU reached 829 million USD, an increase of 39% over the same period in 2021. Seafood exports to China after 7 months have reached 1 billion USD, increased by 71% over the same period in 2021.
Scarcity of raw materials for shrimp and seafood will continue to affect Vietnam's seafood export results in the third quarter. Accordingly, Vietnam’s seafood exports in the third quarter is forecasted to grow slower than the second and first quarters, estimated at about 3 billion USD.
(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.
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
