Demand from key importing markets (EU, China, Japan, South Korea ...) increased for year-end festivals. Some competing countries have difficulties in production and exporting markets. For example, Thailand stopped imports of Indian shrimp which affect not only India but Thailand. Since October 2016, India is subject to a 50% inspection of shrimp exports to the EU and the country is at risk of the EU ban on imports. Thai and Indian shrimp production is forecasted not to increase this year due to disease and adverse weather. This is considered as the factors which facilitated Vietnam’s shrimp exports this year.
Through November 2017, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to major markets have grown well except the U.S. The EU market has risen to rank the 1st while the U.S has fallen to the 4th rank. Among the main importing markets, shipments to China showed the highest growth of 60.2%.
Exports of whiteleg shrimp occupied the largest proportion of 65.4%; those of black tiger shrimp accounted for 23%, the rest was marine shrimp with 11.6%. Exports of whiteleg shrimp and marine shrimp increased while those of black tiger shrimp slightly decreased compared to the same period last year. Of that, shipments of live/fresh/frozen marine shrimp (HS code 03) showed the highest growth.
The EU
As of November 2017, the EU has raised to the 1st rank in top shrimp importers of Vietnam. Exports to this market valued at over US$780 million, up 42.4% year on year. The Netherlands was the largest importer of Vietnam shrimp in the EU. Out of the three main buyers of Vietnam shrimp in the bloc (the Netherlands, the UK and Germany), sales to the Netherlands posted the highest growth of 70.5% (US$199.7 million), followed by the UK and Germany with the rises of 54.5% and 5.9%, respectively.
Due to the high price of coldwater shrimp and a reduction in supplies, high demand for festivals at the end of the year boosted imports of Vietnam shrimp into the EU.
In 2017, Vietnam shrimp had advantage of exports to the EU. In the year, Vietnam shrimp exports to the EU are accorded GSP (generalized system of preferences) rights while Thailand and China do not have this advantage.
When the upcoming EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) comes into effect, shrimp products HS code 03061100 exporting to the EU will be subject to the tax of 0% from the current tax of 12.5%, the tax for shrimp HS code 03061710 will be 0% from the current level of 20%; that for shrimp HS code 16052110 will be also 0% from the current tax of 20% after 7 years from the date of entry into force of the Agreement; and that shrimp HS code 16052190 will be 0% from the level of 20% after 7 years from the date of entry into force of the Agreement.
The U.S
In the first 11 months of 2017, exports to the U.S reached US$609.9 million; down 7.8% over the same period in 2016. Exports to the market declined due to the higher anti-dumping tax in POR11 and the dollar depreciation from the impact of President Trump's general aim of encouraging domestic production.
China
Exports to China witnessed the highest growth among the main importing markets of Vietnam shrimp with 60.2% and eyed US$637.9 million. With this growth, China expected to overtake Japan as the second largest buyer of Vietnam shrimp in the first quarter of 2018.
Besides, favorable geographical position, good payment and stable Yuan has stimulated the demand of Chinese importers. From 1st Dec 2017, Vietnamese shrimp exporters to China had more advantages when China decided to reduce the import tax from 5% to 2% for frozen shrimp products.
Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the last month of 2017 forecasted to see the stable growth. The total shrimp export value in 2017 estimated at US$3.8 billion, an increase of 22% compared to 2016.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia industry is maintaining strong growth momentum, with significant room for further expansion in the coming years. In 2025, total tilapia production reached approximately 420,000 tonnes, up 33% from 2024 and 2.2 times higher than in 2015. During 2015–2025, production grew at an average annual rate of around 8.4%. As production and exports continue to expand, food safety control is receiving increasing attention to ensure product quality, meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international markets, and provide a foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first six months of 2026 indicate that Vietnam’s tilapia industry is entering a new phase of development, with strong export growth but also greater demands for production scale, quality and international competitiveness.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
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