Growth trajectory marked by volatility According to Vietnam Customs data, tuna exports to Lithuania reached $14 million in the first eight months of 2026, up 8% from the same period in 2025. January saw an increase, followed by declines in February and March. In April, exports surged by 85%, only to plunge by 30% in May. From June onward, market conditions began to visibly improve, recording continuous growth over the subsequent two months. Consequently, the cumulative 8% growth was driven largely by a strong recovery in the third quarter rather than steady growth from the beginning of the year. This volatility warrants caution among enterprises when assessing the market’s longer-term prospects. A minor bright spot amid EU exports pressures Lithuania is not Vietnam’s largest tuna market in the EU. Nevertheless, its ability to maintain growth while overall EU tuna exports decline makes it a compelling bright spot. Amidst sluggish European demand, importers are exhibiting heightened caution regarding inventory management and delivery schedules. Vietnamese tuna exports to the EU are also facing growing pressure from increasingly stringent traceability requirements and catch controls. Therefore, the 8% growth in Lithuania, while not a breakthrough, indicates that there is still room for Vietnamese supply if enterprises target the right products and client segments. Another factor to consider is Lithuania’s position within the EU distribution network. Goods imported into this market are not exclusively for domestic consumption but may be redistributed to other member states, making its strategic value greater than its direct import scale suggests.
CATCH changes the game From 2026, seafood exports to the EU have entered a new phase as the CATCH system becomes mandatory for consignments subject to catch certification requirements. For tuna, this requirement is particularly important. Businesses must ensure that information on fishing vessels, fishing trips, species, products and catch certificates is declared completely and consistently. This makes traceability part of competitive capability rather than merely an administrative requirement for completing export documentation. For relatively small EU markets such as Lithuania, this could become an advantage for businesses that have already established transparent supply chains. Buyers are no longer prioritizing price alone; the ability to provide rapid, accurate, and reliable documentation is becoming increasingly critical to securing orders. Opportunities exist but competition remains strong In this market, Vietnamese tuna faces competition from suppliers with significant raw material advantages, including Ecuador, Indonesia, the Philippines and other countries. Indonesia, in particular, is strengthening its position in the EU market through abundant raw material supplies, processing capacity and the ability to meet traceability requirements. If EU-Indonesia trade relations continue to improve, competitive pressure on Vietnamese tuna could become more pronounced. A niche market worth watching After 8 months, Lithuania is projecting more positive signals compared to the broader EU market baseline. However, with export turnover at $14.3 million, it remains a relatively small market. Three consecutive months of growth are also not yet sufficient to confirm a long-term upward trend. The key point to watch in the coming months is whether the 26-34% growth recorded in July and August can be sustained. If the momentum continues, Lithuania could become a niche market worth exploring more deeply and potentially serve as a distribution link within the broader EU market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Lithuania surpassed $14 million, up 8% year on year. While the increase remains modest, it is notable given the continued pressure on Vietnamese tuna exports to the EU as a whole. More importantly, export turnover to Lithuania has shown a clearer recovery in recent months, making the market a destination worth monitoring for Vietnamese businesses in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports exceeded $527 million in the first eight months of 2026, marking a 15% year-on-year increase. This growth is particularly notable given the strong baseline established in 2025, when export turnover for the same period reached $458 million, a 13% rise from 2024.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius is gaining traction in Japan, where competitive prices and reliable supplies have helped the fish enter professional distribution channels and a major sushi chain.
(vasep.com.vn) A circular economy does not create a “new type of shrimp” or a new certification. Its value lies in helping the shrimp value chain use resources more efficiently, stabilize production, generate additional value from by-products and build the data and evidence needed to meet increasingly stringent market requirements. This was the perspective shared by VASEP at the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Forum on Promoting a Circular Economy in the Shrimp Industry in the Mekong Delta, held in Can Tho on September 21.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to CPTPP markets reached $264 million in the first eight months of 2026, up 12% year-on-year and accounting for 17% of the nation’s total pangasius export turnover. In August alone, export value reached $34 million, inching up 3%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Golden pompano is being selected as a high-value species for the development of high-tech marine aquaculture in Lam Dong Province. In 2026, the provincial Agricultural Extension Center launched a golden pompano farming model using circular HDPE cages in Lien Huong Commune, opening opportunities to apply technology to marine farming at a scale suited to local coastal conditions.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached $3.3 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 12% year on year. However, growth momentum is moderating and market divergece is becoming more pronounced, while the US and EU continue to present significant challenges. The latest insights from the Global shrimp forum 2026 (GSF 2026), held in early September, also indicate that the final months of the year will remain highly competitive as global supply continues to expand and buyers place greater emphasis on quality, product specifications, supply consistency and the ability to meet market-specific demand.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports continued to grow in August 2026, bringing total export value in the first eight months of the year to US$1.5 billion, up 10% year-on-year. August exports alone reached US$205 million, up 6%. However, market performance has become increasingly divergent, with China and Brazil posting positive growth while the U.S. continued to record a sharp decline.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached US$1.14 billion in August 2026, up 6.4% year on year, bringing the total for the first eight months to more than US$8.0 billion, an increase of 11.9%. Monthly export value remained above US$1 billion, but August growth was only around half the rate recorded cumulatively through the first eight months. This indicates that the eight-month result was supported significantly by stronger performance in earlier months, while market conditions are entering a less predictable period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius is attracting growing interest from Japanese seafood companies as prices of many traditional whitefish species remain high and supply becomes increasingly volatile. Notably, seafood group Kyokuyo has recently continued to feature pangasius among its priority products, highlighting its competitive pricing and stable supply.
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