Accordingly, accumulated Vietnam seafood export in the first 5 months of 2022 brought a turnover of over 4.6 billion USD, going up 42% over the same period in 2021.
Seafood exports in May 2022 have slowed down slightly compared to the previous month mainly due to the reduction in shrimp export. While April has experienced a dramatic increase of 47%, shrimp exports in May reached US$416 million, an increase of 19%. By the end of May, shrimp exports were estimated at about US$1.8 billion, up 38%, accounting for 39% of the total turnover of seafood exports.
Some enterprises state that shrimp exports in the first four months increased dramatically for four reasons. First, demand significantly recovered after the Covid pandemic; Secondly, the raw materials are available thanks to the reserve and inventory sources in 2021. Third, many enterprises succeeded in signing contracts with high prices at the end of last year in the complex development of Covid 19. Fourth, global inflation in food and seafood has led to higher prices of exported shrimp. Finally, Vietnamese enterprises are gradually returning to international seafood fairs in the US and EU, etc.
However, the unfavorable weather from the beginning of May would be a disadvantage for farmed shrimp. The first rain of the season comes earlier than usual, affecting shrimp production and signaling a negative sign in the source of shrimp materials. In May and the next few months, it is likely that shrimp materials supply will be in a shortage. Besides, the shrimp demand in some main import markets tends to slow down after a strong increase from the end of 2021 until now. Therefore, shrimp exports in the second quarter are expected to grow slower than in the first quarter.
Pangasius exports in May increased by 65% to 245 million USD, also a lower growth compared to April. However, accumulated pangasius exports in the first 5 months of the year remain at a high growth rate of nearly 90%, equivalent to over 1. 2 billion USD. This year, the record of the price inflation of food and seafood in the world is an advantage for Vietnam's pangasius exports. Pangasius exports grow sharply, especially in the US, EU, and China markets.
Tuna exports still maintained a high growth rate of 41% in May 2022, reaching over US$93 million. By the end of May 2022, tuna exports reached $461 million, an increase of 58% over the same period in 2021. Exports of other marine products such as cephalopods crabs, and mollusk shells are all going up but still lower than in April.
Moreover, the continuous war situation in Russia will affect economic sectors, including fishing, and the scarcity of raw materials consequencing from the high cost of fishing. Therefore, the source of marine materials for export processing will be the current difficult problem for enterprises.
|
Seafood export in the first 5 months of 2022 (US$ mil.) (Estimated) |
|||||
|
Products |
May/2022 |
Growth (%) |
Jan- May/2022 |
Growth (%) |
Proportion (%) |
|
Shrimp |
416.495 |
19.3 |
1813.550 |
38.3 |
38.9 |
|
Pangasius |
245.118 |
65.1 |
1208.391 |
89.4 |
25.9 |
|
Tuna |
93.427 |
41.5 |
461.208 |
58.2 |
9.9 |
|
Other fishes |
160.345 |
8.5 |
759.565 |
7.6 |
16.3 |
|
Cephalopod |
57,548 |
11,3 |
270,358 |
25,2 |
5,8 |
|
Mollusk shells |
12,096 |
0,8 |
58,561 |
21,4 |
1,3 |
|
Other mollusks |
714 |
171,6 |
2,644 |
-34,2 |
0,1 |
|
Crab and other crustaceans |
15,766 |
9,3 |
84,611 |
46,6 |
1,8 |
|
Total |
1.001,507 |
26,8 |
4.658,888 |
42,4 |
100,0 |
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
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