Due to the complementary nature of the Vietnamese and Israeli economies with limited direct competition, VIFTA is expected to expand the export landscape for Vietnam’s key products, particularly seafood.
Under the commitments of VIFTA, Israel will liberalize up to 92.7% of total tariff lines, while Vietnam’s level stands at 85.8%. As a result, most Vietnamese agricultural and seafood products will benefit from preferential tariffs. In the seafood segment, tuna currently stands as Vietnam’s leading export product to Israel, accounting for around 7% of the country’s total tuna import value in recent years. Beyond tuna, products such as shrimp, pangasius, squid and octopus are also considered to have high potential in the Middle Eastern market.
In terms of competitiveness, Vietnamese seafood benefits from a stable supply, large-scale aquaculture and capture fisheries, modern processing capacity and the ability to comply with Middle Eastern market standards, including Halal, Kosher and specific importer requirements. Vietnamese enterprises demonstrate high flexible in processing and packaging, enabling higher value addition and better alignment with multiple retail segments. Evidence of this potential is seen in Vietnam's seafood export turnover to the Middle East, which surged from $198 million in 2020 to $366 million in 2024, underscoring the strong expansion potential of this market.
However, to fully capitalize on the VIFTA, businesses must pay close attention to rules of origin. The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam has issued Circular No. 11/2024/TT-BCT, detailing origin criteria, including wholly obtained goods, goods produced from originating materials or goods that have undergone sufficient processing or manufacturing in line with specific rules (RVC, CTC, or defined production processes).
Beyond tariff preferences, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is ramping up trade promotion programs, supply chain connectivity and investment facilitation programs, creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese seafood enterprises to access Israel’s advanced deep-processing technologies, thereby enhancing both export quality and value. Enterprises are advised to proactively conduct in-depth research into VIFTA regulations, establish transparent production processes, ensure full traceability and comply with quality and technical standards. At the same time, they should actively leverage support from Vietnam’s overseas trade offices to mitigate risks and pursue sustainable development in the Israeli market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first months of 2026, IUU prevention models focused on communication and mobilizing fishermen to comply with fisheries laws and avoid encroaching on foreign waters—related to combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing—have been implemented in coastal localities of Lam Dong province and have delivered initial positive results.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The sharp rise in raw pangasius prices to record levels is sending positive signals for the industry, but experts warn of potential supply–demand imbalances if production is not tightly controlled.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, the country’s total canned tuna export value in 2025 reached over USD 275 million, down 8% compared to 2024. Vietnamese canned tuna products were present in approximately 80 markets worldwide. However, the 2025 picture shows clear divergence: the U.S. maintained stability, the EU declined sharply, while several Middle East–North Africa (MENA) markets accelerated.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s crab exports reached nearly USD 86 million, up almost 6% compared to 2024. A notable feature of 2025 was the strong market concentration in the United States, which accounted for more than 81% of Vietnam’s total crab export value, up 10% from the previous year. In contrast, exports to several Asian markets declined significantly, resulting in only modest overall growth for the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tilapia exports recorded impressive growth, with total export turnover reaching over USD 99 million, highlighting the increasingly important role of this product in the country’s seafood export structure. Of this total, tilapia fillets and other fish meat products accounted for USD 61 million, representing 61% of total export value and reaffirming their position as the key product category.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp seed quality is considered the “first link” and a decisive factor affecting the efficiency of the entire commercial shrimp production chain. High-quality seed directly influences survival rates, growth performance, and disease resistance, thereby determining production costs, productivity, and farmers’ profitability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of its agricultural restructuring strategy toward sustainability, Quang Tri Province is gradually promoting environmentally friendly aquaculture models. Among these, organic-oriented golden pompano farming is considered a promising direction, aligned with the goals of enhancing production value and building sustainable rural areas.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
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