Vietnam's shrimp exports grew in the first half of this year, but the market is facing competition from other countries in the world.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in the first six months of this year, the shrimp export value reached about 1.6 billion USD, up 6% year on year. In June alone, this value reached 344 million USD, an increase of 5% on year. During the first half, mainland China and Hong Kong, the largest export market of Vietnamese shrimp, showed a recovery in shrimp exports in June, after decreasing in May. In the first half of the year, the shrimp exports to this market reached 328 million USD, 17% higher than the same period last year. By the end of the year, Vietnam's shrimp exports to this market will be under pressure on price, especially for black tiger shrimp and white-leg shrimp. Vietnamese shrimp competition from markets such as Ecuador, India, and Indonesia will be promoting shrimp export to China due to high tariffs imposed by the US.
The second largest market for Vietnamese shrimp was the US. In the first half of the year, shrimp exports to this market grew 1% year-on-year to 303 million USD. After decreasing in May, exports to the US recovered in June. But shipping costs have increased dramatically, up by 40% from May due to conflict in the Middle East. In the US market too, Vietnamese shrimp has strong price competition from shrimp from Ecuador, India, and Indonesia. VASEP expects that the US's demand for Vietnamese shrimp may increase slightly in the third quarter of this year when importers increase purchasing for year-end festivals. Meanwhile, Vietnam saw a slight reduction of 3% and 10% to 229 million USD in Japan and 149 million USD in the Republic of Korea, respectively. In Japan, Vietnam's value-added goods still maintain a better competitive advantage compared to other suppliers such as India and Ecuador. According to VASEP, the import demand of these two markets is expected to increase slightly from September to meet the year-end demand. For the EU market, after a slow first quarter, the shrimp exports to increased solidly in the second quarter. In the first six months, exports to the EU reached 217 million USD, an increase of 13% on year. In June, this value stood at 52 million USD, up by 31%. The EU market's demand for shrimp imports is expected to continue to increase in the second half. However, VASEP said that besides facing price competition with Ecuadorian and Indian shrimp in the US and EU, Vietnamese shrimp face an additional problem: disease outbreaks in farmed shrimp, potentially causing a shortage of raw materials for processing. Companies may be forced to reduce shrimp exports to the US although this market has a large consumption power. Meanwhile, they will focus on nearer markets such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and China. In the second half of the year, it is expected that the main import markets of Vietnamese shrimp will have better markers, such as lower inventory, easing of transportation difficulties and recovery in demand and prices. If all expectations follow a positive scenario, Vietnam could achieve a shrimp export value of 4 billion USD in 2024, VASEP said./.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) More than five years after the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) took effect, Vietnamese seafood is steadily expanding its market share in the United Kingdom, one of Europe’s major seafood import markets with stable and diverse consumer demand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At Van Hung Commune, Khanh Hoa Province, the Khanh Hoa Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with the Northern Aquaculture Research Center and the Van Hung Public Service Center, organized a technical training course on the industrial-scale production of disease-free golden pompano (Trachinotus falcatus) seed for local marine fish farmers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports maintained a strong recovery in the first five months of 2026, reaching more than USD 302 million, up 17% compared to the same period in 2025. Growth was primarily driven by Asian markets, including South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and China, while exports to the United States and the European Union continued to face headwinds from cautious consumer demand and increasingly stringent compliance requirements.
Vietnamese seafood giant Minh Phu Group has inaugurated a VND1.5 trillion (US$57.4 million) seafood processing plant in Ca Mau Province.
(vasep.com.vn) From 19–21 August 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the theme "Innovation – Sustainability", Vietfish 2026 continues to serve as Vietnam's flagship annual seafood event, bringing together seafood producers, exporters, importers, buyers, industry experts, government agencies, and stakeholders from across the domestic and global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in May 2026, reaching USD 14 million, up 18% compared with the same month last year. Cumulative export value for the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 62 million, representing a remarkable 101% increase over the same period in 2025, highlighting the sector’s strong recovery in international markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 367 million in the first five months of 2026, down 7% compared to the same period in 2025. While the decline is not yet severe, the more concerning issue is that pressure is mounting in key markets such as the United States and the European Union, just as ocean freight rates are rising sharply on long-haul routes. The current situation is therefore not merely about slower orders, but rather a clear restructuring phase for Vietnam’s tuna industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2026 marks a period of strong growth for Vietnam’s tilapia industry, but it is also a time when international export competition is becoming increasingly intense. Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 99 million in 2025, up 140% compared to the previous year. In the first four months of 2026 alone, export value reached USD 49 million, a 151% increase year-on-year. As global demand for affordable whitefish continues to rise, Vietnam is emerging as a noteworthy competitor to traditional tilapia powerhouses such as China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With continued policy support, technological innovation and close coordination among authorities, businesses and farmers, Vietnam’s pangasius industry is expected to make a strong and sustainable breakthrough during the 2026–2030 period, reinforcing its position as the world’s leading exporter of the fish.
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
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn
