Of the total export value of marine products in the first 5 months of 2021, marine fish products accounted for 75% (tuna accounted for 22%, other fish accounted for 53%). Products of cephalopods and bivalve molluscs account for 20%, the rest are crabs and other crustaceans.
Compared to the same period in 2020, Vietnam's exports of seafood product groups increased in the first 5 months of this year. Notably, exports of cephalopods reached USD 216 million, up 13%; bivalve molluscs reached $48 million, up 44%.
In terms of structure, processed mollusk products, such as dried/baked squid, other processed squid, processed bivalve products, etc., have been Vietnam's mainstays in the past 5 months.
Exports to main markets continue to increase
Excluding tuna, the 5 largest import markets for other marine products of Vietnam include: CPTPP accounted for 26%, South Korea accounted for 11%, the US accounted for 8%, China accounted for 7% and the EU accounted for 5%. Compared to the same period in 2020, Vietnam's exports of other marine products to these 5 markets all increased over the same period, CPTPP increased by 7%, South Korea increased by 6%, the US increased by 55%, China increased by 2%. and the EU increased by 31%.
In the CPTPP market, Japan is the largest import market and also the largest single market for Vietnam's seafood imports, accounting for 20%, reaching 298 million USD. Over the same period, the export value of marine products to this market only increased slightly by 1%. For squid and octopus, Japan is also the second largest single market. However, compared to the same period, Vietnam's cephalopod exports to this country decreased by 9%.
Exports to South Korea, the largest export market of Vietnam's cephalopods, continued to grow in May. The export value of Vietnam's marine products to this market in the first five months of the year reached more than 157 million USD, of which nearly 89 million USD comes from cephalopod exports.
After Korea is the US market with the import value of marine products from Vietnam reaching more than 113 million USD. In the past 3 months, the expansion of vaccination against Covid-19 and the economic stimulus package of the US Government have been the driving force for the recovery of seafood consumption demand, not only in the food service and restaurant hotel segments, but also in the retail segment. This is creating favorable conditions for marine product enterprises to promote exports to this market. Notably, exports of squid and octopus to this market are growing at a high rate. Particularly in May, Vietnam's octopus exports to the US are increasing at a "galloping" rate of 538% over the same period of 2020.
(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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