In 2016, the UK was the leading buyer of Vietnam shrimp in the EU. After the strong growth throughout 2015 and the first three quarters of 2016, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the country in QIV/2016 fell by 3.9%. Thanks to the good growth in the first three quarters of this year, total shrimp exports to the market showed a year-on-year rise of 4.2%.
In 2017, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market rose in January but declining in February and March. In April and May, exports increased sharply by 62% and 150%, respectively, from the same period of 2016. In the first five months of this year, Vietnam shrimp exports to the UK valued at nearly US$59 million, an increase of 34% year on year.
In Jan-May 2017, the UK boosted imports of warm-water shrimp instead of cold-water shrimp thanks to reasonable prices, which drove the growth in Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market. The price of cold-water shrimp was on the upward trend due to the cut in its quotas of countries.
According to the International Trade Centre (ITC), in 2016, shrimp imports into the UK reached US$871.4 million, down 4% from 2015. Out of top largest suppliers (India, Vietnam and Canada), imports of warm-water shrimp into the UK from India and Vietnam increased by 21% and 13%, respectively, while those of cold-water shrimp from Canada plummeted by 51%.
In the first four months of this year, the UK’s shrimp imports totaled US$233 million, down nearly 12% over the same period in 2016. This was driven by Brexit, which led to the pound's depreciation and a rise in import prices.
This year, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the UK expected to continue the growth thanks to the high demand for warm-water shrimp.
|
Shrimp imports into the UK (Thousand US$, ITC) |
||||||
|
Suppliers |
2015 |
2016 |
Variation (%) |
Jan-Apr 2016 |
Jan-Apr 2017 |
Variation (%) |
|
World |
907,092 |
871,365 |
-3.9 |
264,341 |
233,013 |
-11.9 |
|
India |
109,120 |
131,548 |
20.6 |
37,568 |
34,808 |
-7.3 |
|
Vietnam |
115,039 |
129,765 |
12.8 |
40,597 |
35,488 |
-12.6 |
|
Bangladesh |
85,569 |
84,742 |
-1.0 |
36,098 |
32,635 |
-9.6 |
|
Canada |
177,324 |
86,303 |
-51.3 |
27,943 |
18,437 |
-34.0 |
|
Thailand |
59,290 |
64,820 |
9.3 |
18,795 |
15,387 |
-18.1 |
|
Indonesia |
55,672 |
53,512 |
-3.9 |
25,394 |
13,306 |
-47.6 |
(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.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn