Shrimp exports to the EU in the first quarter of this year still kept the growth as in 2017. Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU market got quite favorable because India - Vietnam’s big competitor in the EU market - has faced difficulties in exporting shrimp to the EU market. In addition, Vietnam shrimp has the advantage of gaining GSP from the EU that Thailand and China do not have. At present, the EU GSP tariff for Vietnam frozen raw shrimp (HS code 030617) is 4.2%; that for processed frozen shrimp (HS code 160521) is 7%.
In particular, the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is in the process of coming into force. As committed, after the entry into force of the Agreement, Vietnamese goods, including shrimp products, will enjoy special preferential tariffs.
The EU accounts for about 30.6% of total shrimp import value of the world. Shrimp imports into the EU range from US$6-US$8 billion per year. In the 10 years (2007-2017), shrimp imports into the EU increased from US$5.6 billion to US$6.9 billion in 2017.
According to International Trade Center (ITC) data, in 2017, shrimp imports into the EU reached over US$6.9 billion; increased by 3.4% compared to 2016. Spain and France were the two largest shrimp buyers in the EU. The import value of shrimp into Spain hit US$1.3 billion, up 7%; that into France touched US$952.9 million, up 3.9% over 2016.
On the EU market, Vietnam shrimp has to compete mainly with the same item from India and Ecuador. While India tends to reduce shrimp exports to the EU due to some difficulties, Ecuador is increasingly promoting its exports to the market.
With high demand for consumption thanks to better economic growth than forecasted, exports of some products such as processed whiteleg shrimp, fresh/frozen black tiger shrimp to the EU expected to remain the good growth in the coming time.
|
Shrimp suppliers to the EU (Source: ITC, thousand US$) |
||||
|
Suppliers |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
Variation (%) |
|
Ecuador |
657,081 |
736,275 |
779,584 |
5.9 |
|
Vietnam |
509,903 |
551,546 |
735,234 |
33.3 |
|
India |
651,142 |
634,231 |
672,238 |
6.0 |
|
Argentina |
486,106 |
519,717 |
565,935 |
8.9 |
|
Netherlands |
421,593 |
521,242 |
429,630 |
-17.6 |
|
Bangladesh |
357,482 |
343,337 |
422,000 |
22.9 |
|
Denmark |
334,245 |
355,822 |
304,470 |
-14.4 |
|
Greenland |
232,361 |
254,228 |
274,799 |
8.1 |
|
Spain |
238,125 |
262,471 |
248,818 |
-5.2 |
|
Belgium |
202,719 |
204,037 |
218,359 |
7.0 |
(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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