This development shows that market demand still exists, though it is no longer moving uniformly upward as it did earlier in the year. For exporters, this is an important signal: Vietnamese clams continue to maintain their presence in many key markets, but market divergence is becoming increasingly apparent.
Europe remains the backbone of Vietnam’s clam exports
Looking at the market structure, Europe continues to play the leading role. In the first four months of 2026, Spain was the largest market for Vietnamese clams, with imports valued at USD 10 million, up 29% year-on-year. Italy followed closely with USD 9 million, up 5%. Portugal reached USD 5 million, down slightly by 2%, but still remained among the largest importers.
In fact, this trend aligns well with the global market picture for clams and bivalve mollusks. According to the FAO, market conditions for bivalves in 2025 were generally favorable across major markets. Clams in particular recorded strong demand, especially in Spain, France, and other EU countries, while supply faced pressure from climate conditions, harmful algae blooms, and biological factors, keeping prices at relatively high levels.
Not only is consumer demand strong, but import demand from outside the EU is also increasing. According to EUMOFA, EU imports of bivalves from non-EU suppliers during the first 11 months of 2025 reached approximately EUR 657 million, up 9% in value and 7% in volume compared to the same period in 2024. This indicates that the European market remains relatively open to mollusk products, including clams.
Exports to the US rise while China slows down
Another bright spot is the United States. In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s clam exports to the US reached nearly USD 6 million, up 49% compared to the same period last year. This is a notable increase, especially as Vietnamese companies face increasingly fierce competition in the mid- and high-value seafood segments.
The US market still offers considerable room for growth. According to NOAA, around 80% of the seafood consumed in the United States each year is imported. This means that suppliers capable of ensuring stable quality, food safety, and traceability continue to have opportunities in this market.
In contrast, China is showing a much clearer slowdown. In the first four months of 2026, clam exports to China reached only nearly USD 4 million, down as much as 52%. This sharp decline not only dragged down overall growth but also highlighted the risks of relying too heavily on short-term orders or unstable distribution channels.
Opportunities lie in niche markets
Beyond the major markets, Vietnam’s clam exports to several smaller destinations have shown strong growth, including Singapore up 93%, Australia up 57%, Germany up 84%, Belgium up 45%, Malaysia up 222%, and Mexico up 113%. Although these markets remain relatively small in scale, they are worth monitoring due to their strong growth momentum and potentially lower competitive pressure compared to traditional markets.
From a longer-term perspective, the EU remains one of the world’s most important clam-consuming regions. According to a European Commission report, Italy, Portugal, and Spain are among the EU’s main clam-producing countries, while also playing key roles in consumption and trade. Spain is also one of Europe’s largest seafood import markets.
This means opportunities for Vietnamese clams lie not only in selling products, but also in penetrating deeper into suitable segments such as convenient frozen products, consistently processed semi-prepared products, and product lines serving restaurants and modern retail channels.
Vietnam’s clam exports in 2026 are therefore unlikely to post strong and even growth every month, though they are still expected to remain higher than the same period last year. Europe, especially Spain and Italy, will likely continue serving as the main pillar. The US could remain a bright spot if demand stays stable. Meanwhile, the Chinese market may continue to fluctuate, while smaller markets could provide additional room to offset volatility elsewhere.
(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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Fishermen in Ha Tinh are gradually overcoming difficulties to maintain the efficiency of seafood exploitation. In the first six months of 2026, the entire province achieved a production of more than 23,000 tons of seafood, worth more than 1,200 billion VND.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) June 2026 brought encouraging signs for Vietnam's tuna exports, with export value rising 20% year-on-year to nearly USD 72 million. However, this increase has yet to offset the prolonged slowdown seen in key markets such as the European Union (EU), where import demand remains weak. The outlook for the second half of the year is expected to become more challenging as freight rates continue to climb.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in collaboration with the Agency for Domestic Market Management and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will organize the Domestic Seafood Supply–Demand Matching Program on the morning of August 20, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City. The program aims to foster direct business connections between Vietnamese seafood producers and processors and domestic distributors, retailers, and foodservice channels.
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