Mr. Nguyen Thanh Loc, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Fisheries Association, most seafood processing enterprises in Ba Ria - Vung Tau area focus on products derived from wild-caught raw materials such as octopus, cuttlefish, anchovies, sardines and skipjack tuna. After processing, products mainly fall into two categories: frozen seafood (whole, filleted or breaded) and dried seafood (dried squid, sun-dried or without seasoning dried seafood).
“However, over 90% of exported products are still marketed under foreign importers’ brands. Vietnamese enterprises primarily play the role of subcontractors, without building their own supply chains or distribution systems. This results in thin profit margins and makes it difficult to directly accessing EU consumer demand.” Mr. Loc emphasized.
Notably, the processing capacity of Vietnamese enterprises is by no means inferior. Machinery and equipment are imported from Japan, South Korea, Germany and the Netherlands, while the workforce is abundant and highly skilled. However, indirect personnel responsible for sales and international market remain weak, lacking practical experience and confidence to independently expand in the EU.
As a result, over the past five years, export turnover to the EU for many enterprises in Ba Ria - Vung Tau has plummeted by 70-80%. Quite a few members of the Fisheries Association have had to shift to other markets, accepting lower profit margins.
In contrast to many subcontractors, HaiVuong Group (HVG) - a Vietnam’s leading tuna enterprise, presents a picture of both opportunities and challenges in EU integration.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Du, Director of Vietnam Tuna Co., Ltd. (HVG), the group’s revenue in 2024 reached $301 million with the EU contributing nearly $68 million (22.78%). With five modern factories, cold storage capacity of over 30,000 tons and over 3,000 skilled workers, HVG exports more than 60,000 tons of finished products annually, reaching over 40 countries.
“The enterprise has met numerous international standards such as HACCP, BRC, Dolphin Safe and MSC, along with a transparent traceability system from fishing vessels to the dining table. The EVFTA helps HVG take advantage of tariff advantages, enhancing competitive.” Mr. Du stated.
However, HVG still faces significant challenges. The IUU yellow card remains the biggest non-tariff barrier, subjecting exports to the EU to strict monitoring. Additionally, high production costs, global logistics fluctuations and intense competition from Thailand, Indonesia and South America further erode profitability.
Mr. Du emphasized that to maintain market share in the EU, enterprises need comprehensive support: from lifting the IUU yellow card to establishing green transition investment funds, European trade promotion centers and developing a communication strategy to build the Vietnamese seafood brand.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Fisheries Association, for enterprises to overcome difficulties, the government needs to urgently address impractical regulations in fisheries management while also creating mechanisms to support human resources specialized in international market development.
At the enterprise level, linking production–processing–distribution chains is essential to build collective strength instead of fragmented efforts. Some long-established exporters such as Baseafood, Hai Viet and Coimex are expected to act as “locomotives” to lead and support others in penetrating the EU market.
“As long as the IUU bottleneck is not resolved and we fail to establish our own distribution systems, our modern machinery and skilled workforce cannot be transformed into real value in the EU market” said Mr. Nguyen Thanh Loc, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Fisheries Association.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports to Japan posted strong growth in the first half of 2026, while a promising new trend has emerged in the value-added product segment. Notably, Vietnamese tilapia fillets have been exported to Japan for use in sushi and sashimi, creating new opportunities to enhance the value of the industry in one of the world's most demanding seafood markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a relatively sluggish first quarter, Vietnam's exports of fish cakes and surimi showed a clearer recovery in the second quarter, particularly in June. Export value in the first six months of 2026 reached USD 148 million, down 2% year on year. However, the newly imposed 12.5% additional U.S. tariff on Vietnamese goods, intensifying competition in Northeast Asia, and increasingly stringent traceability requirements in the EU are making the outlook for the second half of the year more uncertain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In June 2026, Vietnam's shrimp exports reached nearly USD 458 million, up 24% year-on-year. In the first six months of 2026, export value totaled USD 2.35 billion, an increase of 14.2% compared with the same period last year. Growth was driven mainly by the Chinese market and the strong performance of lobster exports, while shrimp exports continued to face pressure from U.S. tariffs and rising logistics costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program is designed as a specialized B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers, providing opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood exporters, gain the latest market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A project titled "Sustainable Shrimp Industry Governance" has been launched in Ca Mau Province with the aim of supporting the transition of the province's shrimp industry toward higher quality, lower emissions, stronger governance capacity, improved supply chain traceability, and the development of a sustainable shrimp brand that meets the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Khanh Hoa Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with the Northern Center for Marine Aquaculture Research and the Van Hung Public Service Center, recently organized a training course on disease-free golden pompano seed production. The program is part of a National Agricultural Extension Project aimed at developing industrial-scale seed production models to support sustainable marine aquaculture.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The application of high technology in shrimp farming is delivering positive results in the coastal areas of Vinh Long Province, contributing to improved production efficiency and creating significant potential for further industry expansion. However, to fully capitalize on this potential, the province is focusing on aquaculture zoning, infrastructure investment, and promoting modern, sustainable production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Đồng Tháp Province has intensified efforts to curb illegal fishing by strengthening vessel monitoring, law enforcement and seafood traceability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood businesses need solutions to overcome bottlenecks such as labor shortages, difficulty accessing capital, high input costs, and administrative procedures in order to maintain production, adapt to market fluctuations, and effectively exploit export opportunities.
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