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) 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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