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 Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
(vasep.com.vn) Australia is emerging as one of the most stable and promising growth markets for Vietnamese shrimp. Amid global trade disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly conflicts in the Middle East—strengthening and expanding into stable markets like Australia has become increasingly important for Vietnam’s shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports reached over USD 111 million, up 23% compared to the same period in 2025. This result indicates a positive start for the sector, reflecting early signs of demand recovery in multiple markets from the beginning of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s fisheries sector maintained positive growth momentum, with shrimp output exceeding 132 thousand tons. This result contributed to a strong increase in seafood export turnover, despite ongoing volatility in the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in February 2026, with many markets recording sharp increases compared to the same period last year. In February alone, export value reached USD 8.4 million, up 148% year-on-year. Cumulatively, in the first two months of 2026, total tilapia export turnover hit USD 23 million, soaring 242% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In global seafood trade, sensory evaluation is increasingly becoming one of the key “technical barriers” in many importing markets-especially the United States. Issues such as filth, and signs of decomposition/spoilage are often detected through sensory evaluation methods and remain common reasons for seafood import alerts, detentions, or shipment rejections.
Shrimp has been the most important export product of Vietnam’s seafood industry for many years, typically accounting for 35–45% of the country’s total seafood export value. With a well-developed farming, processing, and export system, Vietnam has become one of the world’s leading shrimp exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, the global food market is facing increasing volatility in logistics costs, energy prices, and supply chains. In the seafood sector, alongside ocean-caught products such as tuna, the surimi-based product group—including fish cakes, crab sticks, fish balls, and other imitation seafood products—has also been affected to some extent by these developments.
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