In the first quarter of 2023, Vietnam's seafood exports to the Chinese market still decreased by 27% compared to the same period last year, reaching nearly 240 million USD. While exports in January and March experienced negative growth of 60% and 39% respectively, only exports in February showed positive growth of 24% .
The top 5 seafood products exported to China include pangasius, anchovies, white leg shrimp, black tiger shrimp, surimi and fishcake. Pangasius accounts for 55% of seafood exports to China, therefore, the decrease in pangasius exports to this market has largely affected general exports. Exports of white leg shrimp, fish cakes - surimi and many other products still fell deeply. However, dried anchovies are gaining great popularity in the Chinese market with an increase of 50% in the first quarter. Many other dried processed products such as yellow snapper and dried shrimp have strongly increased export value. In addition, black tiger shrimp is also recovering its export value to China with an increase of 46% over the same period.
March 2023: China's seafood imports increased by 58%
With more than 1 million tons of seafood imported in the first quarter of 2023, worthed more than 4.5 billion USD, China's import increased by 17% in volume and by 13% in value over the same period in 2022.
Only in the first month of 2023 the year, China's seafood imports decreased by 27% in volume and 19% in value compared to January 2022 because of the New Year holidays and the Lunar New Year. From February, imports started to increase sharply by 32% and 20% respectively.
March 2023 was the most breakthrough month of China's seafood imports with an increase of 58% in volume and 51% in value. This month alone, China imported 453,000 tons of seafood, worth over 1.8 billion USD.
Frozen seafood products imported into China accounted for 89% in volume and 67% in value, while fresh/raw/chilled products accounted for 7% and 28% respectively. Processed products accounted for only 2%.
China increased sharply seafood imports for the processing and export segment, accounting for 21% in volume and 12% in value. The volume of seafood imports for this segment increased by 70% over the same period last year.
China's seafood imports for domestic consumption accounted for 65% in volume and 82% in value, an increase of 16% and 13% respectively.
In terms of volume , China imports the most pollock with nearly 200,000 tons, followed by squid with nearly 94 thousand tons. For pangasius, in the first 3 months of 2023, China imported 45,000 tons with an average price of 2.18 USD/kg, down 7% compared to the same period in 2022.
Thus, seafood imports for domestic consumption have not recovered strongly, the average import price has decreased. Moreover, competitive pressure from Ecuador, India, and Indonesia are negatively affecting Vietnam's seafood exports to China.
However, Vietnamese seafood enterprises still expect that exports to China will soon recover because it is predicted that China's seafood consumption will explode in 2023. 1.4 billion people were “liberated” from COVID lockdowns and eager to return to eating out. The Chinese have stockpiled between $1.5 trillion and $2 trillion in "excess household savings" during the lockdown, so seafood spending is expected to increase in the next time.
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.069 billion, up 17.5% compared to the same period in 2025. This is a positive result amid an uneven global shrimp market recovery, intensifying competition among major suppliers, and continued volatility in the international trade environment. However, this growth does not reflect a broad-based recovery across the entire sector, but rather is driven mainly by strong performance in a few markets and specific product segments—most notably lobster exports to China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports continued to decline in March 2026. Cumulatively, in the first three months of the year, export value reached USD 208 million, down 4% compared to the same period in 2025. The export landscape shows clear divergence across markets: while the U.S. and EU remain challenging, markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Egypt, the Philippines, and Mexico have emerged as growth bright spots.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Quang Ngai Province, shrimp farming costs are rising sharply due to लगातार increases in feed, fuel, and input material prices, while farm-gate shrimp prices are declining. This has significantly reduced farmers’ profit margins and increased production risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
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