Shrimp exports accounted for the highest proportion, 52.5% of the total seafood turnover to the EU with US$256 million, up 27% over the same period last year. Of which, whiteleg shrimp alone is over 205 million USD, up 31%, black tiger shrimp exports reach 36.5 million USD, up 15%, the rest are marine shrimp and lobster.
While the EU market is recovering in demand, exports of Vietnamese seafood products to the market have increased, while pangasius exports are still 18% lower than the same period , reaching nearly 58 million USD, accounting for less than 12% of seafood exports to Vietnam to EU. Exports of crabs and other crustaceans to the EU also halved to under $2.5 million, mainly swimming crab exports, down 44%.
Exporting squid, octopus, clams, tuna and other marine fish to the EU market in the first half of the year brought much better turnover compared to the same period last year. In which squid increased by 56% to nearly 21 million USD, octopus increased by 33% to 5.5 million USD. Clam exports to the EU increased sharply by 45% to USD 33 million, which is also an important commodity exported to the EU, accounting for 7%.
Tuna is the second largest export value to the EU with over $74 million, up 31%, accounting for over 15%. Exports of other marine fish to the EU only accounted for 7% with about US$33 million, up 21%. In which, mainly cod with nearly 5 million USD, which is processed product from materials imported from other countries. Other products made from marine fish include surimi (doubled to 4 million USD), sailfish...
Limited sources of marine fish raw materials, along with regulations on certification and verification of caught materials according to IUU regulations of Vietnam. EU, making it more difficult for marine fish to be exported to the EU.
In the farmed fish group, in addition to pangasius, Vietnamese enterprises also increased the export of other freshwater fish such as catfish and tilapia with a value of about 4 million USD, an increase of over 60% over the same period last year.
The EU is currently the fourth largest seafood export market of Vietnam, after the US, Japan and China, accounting for over 11%. In which, the dominant markets in this block are the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Italy, which are the main markets for Vietnam's shrimp and tuna consumption.
The EU accounts for over 14% of Vietnam's shrimp exports, ranking third after the US and Japan. For tuna, the EU occupies 21%, behind the US. The EU only accounts for 7.4% of Vietnam's total pangasius exports. For clam exports alone, the EU occupies a "dominant" position with over 70% of Vietnam's exports.
The economies of EU countries are recovering thanks to positive changes following the Covid-19 vaccination program and post-Covid support packages. The demand for seafood imports from the EU market started to increase sharply from March 2021 and is expected to continue to prosper in the second half of the year.
With the current Covid pandemic situation and the IUU yellow card problem, Vientam's seafood exports to the EU in the second half of the year could not maintain the same growth as the first half of the year. It is estimated that seafood exports to the EU in the second half of the year will reach about 600 million USD, up 8% over the same period, bringing the full year export result to 1,087 billion USD, up 13% compared to 2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the latest statistics for January 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius export value to major market blocs recorded encouraging growth compared with the same period last year, indicating that consumption demand is gradually recovering.
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