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) 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.
(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.
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