Shrimp exports in the past 5 years achieved an average annual growth of 4% with an unstable annual growth. After 5 years, whiteleg shrimp exports have become increasingly dominant in export shrimp products thanks to strong growth.
Frozen shrimp products still accounted for a large proportion of Vietnam's total shrimp exports. Processed shrimp accounted for a significant proportion only in some major markets (the US, EU, Japan). The proportion of processed shrimp in the US market was the highest, followed by the EU, Japan, then South Korea, while ASEAN and China represented for low proportion.
Vietnam's top 6 shrimp importing markets included EU, the US, Japan, China and South Korea, accounting for 81-85% of the total shrimp import value in the last 5 years. Since 2017, the US and EU have exchanged positions because shrimp exports to the US have declined continuously and sharply decreased than the EU market. During this period, exports to China had the strongest breakthrough with an average annual growth of 16% and after 5 years increased by over 55%. After China, South Korea was also a notable market in the past 5 years, followed by the EU.
In general, regarding the import tax on shrimp products in major markets, Vietnam's products have advantages compared to other exporting countries such as Indonesia, India, Thailand, China, especially in markets signed FTA agreement with Vietnam. This will continue to be an advantage for Vietnam's shrimp exports in 2020 and in coming years.
However, the corona epidemic has been affecting shrimp production and export to markets in 2020, thus limiting the growth of shrimp industry this year, though the level of influence for each market will be different.
VASEP has released a Report on Vietnam shrimp sector, 2015 - 2019 (Vietnamese - English bilingual, 50 pages), providing detailed information and data on production and export movements of each major shrimp species to markets; assessing shrimp supply and demand trends in markets; comparing the export price, import tax of shrimp of Vietnam and other exporting countries in the markets; simultaneously evaluate the prospects of production and export to each market, the impact of the corona epidemic (opportunities, challenges and forecast on export turnover) in 2020.
Please see the details of the Report on Vietnam shrimp sector, 2015 - 2019 here.
(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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