According to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the total fishery production in May was estimated at 782.8 thousand tons, up 4.2% over the same period in 2020. Accumulated in the first 5 months, the total output seafood was estimated at 3.3 million tons, up 2.6% over the same period last year. In which, aquaculture production in May was estimated at 417 thousand tons, up 6.7% over the same period last year, bringing the accumulated output to approximately 1.7 million tons, up 3.7% over the same period last year. The fishing output in May was estimated at 365.8 thousand tons, up 1.5% over the same period last year, bringing the cumulative output of 5 months to over 1.6 million tons, increased by 1.4% over the same period in 2020.
Tuna catch decreased by 9% over the same period in 2020
In the first 5 months of 2021, although the weather at sea is relatively favorable, however, the catches of ocean tuna in different locations decreased slightly. The output of bigeye and yellowfin tuna of 30kg/head or more was estimated at 8,522 tons, down 9% over the same period in 2020. Of which, tuna catch in Phu Yen reached 1,819 tons, down 4%; in Binh Dinh was estimated at 5,493.9 tons, down 5.8%; in Khanh Hoa was estimated at 1,209 tons, up 15.1% over the same period in 2020.
Output of brackish water shrimp increased significantly
The output of brackish water shrimp in May was estimated at 81 thousand tons, up 0.2% over the same period last year, bringing the accumulated output in first 5 months of 2021 to 253.6 thousand tons, up 6% over the same period in 2020. Of which, the output of black tiger shrimp in 5 months is estimated at 85.8 thousand tons, up 1.6%; whiteleg shrimp production was estimated at 167.8 thousand tons, up 8.4% over the same period in 2020.
The production of whiteleg shrimp has escalated due to the shift to intensive farming and good disease control, meeting the needs of export and domestic consumption. In addition, this is the time of high harvest to supply raw materials for processing factories filling market orders .
For pangasius, the output in May was estimated at 117.3 thousand tons, up 1.2% over the same period last year, bringing the accumulated accumulation in the first 5 months to 523.9 thousand tons, up 2.8% compared to the same period last year. Some provinces have large pangasius farming areas in the first 5 months of the year with the output increased quite well, such as: Dong Thap reached 120.6 thousand tons; An Giang reached 196.9 thousand tons. Because the demand for importing pangasius products in some major markets such as China and markets in South America tends to increase slightly in the first months of the year, the price of raw pangasius is increasing compared to the same period last year. For the domestic market, the price of raw pangasius in the Mekong Delta provinces increased slightly by 200 VND/kg to 21,500 - 21,700 VND/kg for the fish of size 800g - 1.1kg/pc.
(vasep.com.vn) On November 11, 2026, in Can Tho, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will organize the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029: Opportunities and Headroom for Double-Digit Export Growth.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Business leader Do Ngoc Tai, General Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, was honored by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with the title “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur – Thanh Giong Cup 2026” at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). The event took place on the evening of October 11, 2026, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market is becoming increasingly segmented, not only among producing countries but also by product type and destination market. Supply is divided into groups with distinct competitive advantages: large volumes of whole fish and frozen fillets from Asia, high-value fresh fillets from Latin America, and substantial domestic consumption in several major producing countries.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK grew in the first eight months of 2026, despite signs of slowing import demand in the market. However, sharp fluctuations in orders, competition from major suppliers, and new traceability requirements are creating challenges for Vietnamese exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam is stepping up efforts to combat illegal fishing, protect marine ecosystems, expand digital monitoring, and develop science-based management to ensure the sea can support communities and the economy for generations to come.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The EU remains a critical market for Vietnamese shrimp; however, purchasing demand and import patterns are undergoing notable changes. According to Vietnam Customs data, as of September 15, 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU reached nearly $374 million, down 5% year-over-year and accounting for 10.7% of the country’s total shrimp export value. Meanwhile, the EU’s stotal shrimp imports through July 2026 contracted by 7% in volume, exhibiting divergent trends across Southern Europe, Northwestern Europe and Eastern Europe. These dynamics necessitate that Vietnamese enterprises closely monitor individualized market demand, rather than approaching the EU as a monolithic consumer block.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of surimi and fish cakes remained relatively stable year-over-year compared to 2025. Following a contraction in the initial months, export performance demonstrated improvement from June onward, peaking in August. However, the recovery has been uneven, characterized by divergent trends across major markets: robust growth was recorded in China, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan, whereas export volumes to South Korea, Indonesia, and select European markets contracted.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains one of Dong Thap’s key aquaculture species, with the province focusing on developing an integrated value chain covering seed production, commercial farming, deep processing and by-product utilization. The province is promoting high-tech, circular pangasius farming models featuring reduced water exchange and enhanced biosecurity, aiming to improve production efficiency and strengthen control over raw material quality.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in September 2026 are estimated at US$1.135 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, bringing total exports in the first nine months of the year to US$9.103 billion, up 11.4%. Behind this double-digit growth, however, increasingly divergent market trends are emerging: China–Hong Kong and ASEAN posted strong growth, while the U.S., EU and Japan all recorded declines in September.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Brazil became the largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, with export value reaching US$44 million, up 22,142% year-on-year and accounting for 49% of Vietnam’s total tilapia exports. In August alone, exports to Brazil reached US$4 million. However, behind this remarkable growth is a market that is imposing increasingly stringent requirements on imported supplies.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
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