(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, the global food market is facing increasing volatility in logistics costs, energy prices, and supply chains. In the seafood sector, alongside ocean-caught products such as tuna, the surimi-based product group—including fish cakes, crab sticks, fish balls, and other imitation seafood products—has also been affected to some extent by these developments.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid Vietnam’s seafood sector’s ongoing shift toward value-added products, surimi – a processed and refined minced fish product – is emerging as a key player in the country’s export strategy. With abundant raw materials and increasingly sophisticated processing techniques, surimi has become a bright spot in Vietnam’s seafood exports, especially during challenging times like the present.

After a slow start in the first month of the quarter, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports posted consecutive growth in the following two months, bringing total export value in Q1 2025 to over USD 80 million, up 31% year-on-year.