UK was the third largest importer of shrimp in the EU after Spain and France. Unlike Spain that importing shrimps for domestic consumption and processing for export to intra-regional countries, UK imported shrimp for domestic consumption only.
In the last 4 years, UK was a remarkable market for many Vietnamese enterprises. From 2014 up to now, the UK has always been in the 1st and 2nd position for importing Vietnamese shrimp. From 2014 to 2017, Vietnam shrimp exports to the UK continued to grow from US$114.6 million in 2014 to US$210.6 million in 2017, an increase of nearly 84%.
In the EU, the UK was the largest shrimp importer of Vietnam, accounting for nearly 36% of total shrimp exports of Vietnam to EU and accounting for 6.8% of total Vietnam shrimp exports to all markets. In the fourth quarter of 2018, shrimp export to the UK dropped by 14% to US$62.6 million due to the impact of Brexit event in the UK. This event partly disturbs the situation of import and export of goods and demand for seafood consumption in the UK. However, in 2018, Vietnam shrimp exports to the UK still increased positively to US$238.4 million.
In January 2019, Vietnam shrimp export to the UK reached over US$16 million, down 4.1% compared to the same period in 2018.
In 2018, British shrimp imports reached US$827.2 million, a decrease of 0.1% compared to 2017. Vietnam was the largest shrimp supplier to the UK, accounting for 26.4% of the total value of British shrimp imports, followed by India at 15.1%. Among the main shrimp suppliers to this market, shrimp imports from Vietnam, Denmark and Iceland went up while imports from India, Canada and Bangladesh fell compared to 2017.
It can be said that UK was a remarkable market of Vietnamese shrimp exporters in the EU because exporting enterprises to this market are entitled to GSP tax incentives, similar to the general provisions in exporting to the EU. Processed shrimp products originating from Vietnam in the UK market have a higher advantage in price and quality compared to those of India and Bangladesh. Fresh and frozen white leg shrimp size 13/15, 16/20 exports from Vietnam to the UK cost from US$6.67 to US$8.73 /kg.
Because the UK is a highly competitive market from rival suppliers, enterprises need to understand the market to make products suitable to consumers' tastes here. In order to succeed in the UK market, enterprises need to provide products with good prices with consistent supplies and the ability to improve product development to keep up the tastes of people
(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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the week from April 4th to 10th, 2026, Quang Ngai province intensified its monitoring and law enforcement activities with the determination to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanh Hoa’s shrimp sector is undergoing a strong transformation by accelerating the adoption of high technology, helping to improve productivity, increase profits, and meet market demands. The province currently has about 4,100 hectares of shrimp farming, with output continuing to rise despite stable farming area, mainly due to the shift from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive farming.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
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