By the end of the first half of this year, Vietnam's seafood exports are estimated at nearly 5.8 billion USD, up 40% compared to the first half of 2021.
Lacking raw materials for export processing, shrimp export sales in June 2022 only maintained a modest growth of 7%, equals $450 million. Accumulated for the first half of 2022, Vietnam shrimp exports reached 2.3 billion USD, up by 33% over the same period and accounting for 40% of total seafood exports. Price inflation and shortage of raw materials are difficult problems for shrimp enterprises in the current period. Small-sized fresh/frozen vannamei is still favoured during this inflationary crisis. However, some enterprises also choose to increase the proportion of value-added processed shrimp to export to markets such as Japan, the US, and the EU to overcome the scarcity of raw materials. Export of processed vannamei in the first half of the year increased by 17%, while that of fresh/frozen shrimp increased by 21%. It is worth noticing that Vietnam lobster exports grew a record with nearly 130 million USD in the first half of the year, a leap of 30 times year-on-year. Despite inflation, the export of black tiger shrimp in the first half of the year still increased by 20% to over 300 million USD.
Higher inflation accompanied with the war between Russia and Ukraine are opportunities for pangasius in 2022. The shortage of white fish, especially cod, in the EU, US, and UK markets due to sanctions against Russia had forced many restaurants in markets to remove cod from their menu. For that reason, Vientam pangasius has the opportunity to gain market share in these markets. Pangasius exports to the UK in the first half of this year increased by 6 times compared to the same period last year, exports to Spain nearly tripled, and to France, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium all increased by 45% - 90%. In the first half of this year, the country's pangasius exports reached over $1.4 billion, up 83% over the same period last year and accounted for a quarter of seafood export sales. In June 2022, pangasius exports still maintained a high growth rate of 54% over the same period, reaching nearly 220 million USD.
Vietnam tuna exports in June reached over US$91 million, up 43%. Total tuna exports in the first half of the year increased by 56% to US$553 million, accounting for nearly 10% of seafood exports. The main product is still frozen tuna loin/fillet, bringing in 377 million USD, up 122%. More than half of Vietnam tuna export values from the US market which has high consumption and high growth. While tuna exports to the US nearly doubled, exports to the EU only increased by 9%, a much more modest increase, mainly thanks to the increase in average export prices. The IUU yellow card is still narrowing the export of tuna as well as wild- caught marine products to this market.
Export of cephalopod in June 2022 reached over $68 million, up 34% over the same period. By the end of the first half of the year, cephalopod products brought in a turnover of 344 million USD, up 29% over the same period last year, accounting for 6% of seafood export sales. In which, squid exports reached 197 million USD, up 45%, octopus exports reached 147 million USD, up 12%.
Exports of mollusk shells, crabs and other fish in the first six months of this year all grew by 11-54% over the same period.
Compiled by My Hanh
(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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