According to the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), at the Workshop on "Effective Shrimp Farming Solutions" held on October 31, domestic shrimp production faced several challenges this year. The Central region experienced heatwaves, the Central Highlands dealt with drought, the South suffered from saline intrusion, and storms and floods in the Northern provinces caused significant damage to aquaculture. Shrimp exports are also hampered by the global economic crisis, high inflation in major import markets, complicated shrimp diseases, and rising production costs. Furthermore, there is increasing competition from countries like Ecuador and India.
Mr. Chau Cong Bang, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ca Mau province, reported that in the first ten months of this year, farmed shrimp production in the province reached 200,000 tons, or 82.3% of the target, reflecting a 2% increase compared to the same period last year. The export turnover of aquatic products reached $968 million, equating to 87% of the plan and marking a 12% rise year-on-year. While these results are relatively positive, the low shrimp prices have significantly reduced profits for businesses and farmers, presenting a major challenge for the industry. This situation necessitates efforts to reduce production costs to enhance competitiveness in the global market.
In Bac Lieu province, the rapid development of super-intensive shrimp farming has occurred alongside limited implementation of wastewater and waste treatment solutions. Current wastewater treatment processes and technologies are insufficiently developed to ensure environmental protection and sustainable shrimp farming. Additionally, a lack of capital hampers investment in modern treatment technologies.
Anticipated Breakthrough in Final Months
Forecasts indicate that global shrimp production will rise again by the end of 2024 and remain stable in 2025. Vietnamese shrimp may benefit if the U.S. imposes higher anti-dumping and subsidy tariffs on Ecuador, India, and Indonesia by the end of December 2024. This scenario presents a significant opportunity for the shrimp industry to achieve its $4 billion export target in the last months of the year.
To meet these goals, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kien Giang is collaborating with localities to establish models of community management for concentrated farming areas that apply sustainable aquaculture standards, including GlobalGAP, VietGAP, and good aquaculture practices (BAP). They are also promoting the issuance of farm codes for product traceability and implementing criteria for building new rural areas. Additionally, they are focusing on preventing and controlling aquatic animal diseases and monitoring water quality in the province.
In Ca Mau province, authorities are guiding shrimp farmers to transition from traditional farming methods to biosafety-oriented models that reduce production costs. By innovating farming processes and minimizing risks during cultivation, costs can be saved, ultimately reducing product prices. To ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the brackish water shrimp farming industry, Ca Mau province is also investing in upgrading shrimp farming infrastructure, thus lowering logistics costs and automating feeding, water pumping, and drainage processes to replace manual labor.
(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.
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
