Vietnam shrimp industry report 2021–2025: Overview and outlook to 2030
The period 2021–2025 has been a time of significant volatility for Vietnam’s shrimp industry as well as the global shrimp market. After strong growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, the global shrimp market entered a period of adjustment from 2023, driven by global inflation, high inventories in major importing markets, and a sharp increase in supply from major producing countries such as Ecuador and India. These factors created considerable challenges for Vietnam’s shrimp industry in maintaining export growth.
However, the Vietnamese shrimp sector has demonstrated a notable ability to adapt to market fluctuations. After a sharp decline in 2023, shrimp exports gradually recovered in the following years and reached a record value of USD 4.6 billion in 2025, reaffirming the shrimp sector’s role as the pillar of Vietnam’s seafood exports.
In terms of product structure, whiteleg shrimp continued to be the dominant product, accounting for the largest share of total export value. In addition, products in the other shrimp category, particularly lobster, have recorded strong growth in recent years thanks to rising demand from China and several Asian markets.
Regarding markets, the United States, Japan, the EU, China, and South Korea remain the most important importers of Vietnamese shrimp. Among them, China has emerged as one of the fastest-growing markets in recent years due to strong demand for large-sized shrimp and lobster. Meanwhile, traditional markets such as Japan and South Korea continue to maintain stable consumption of processed shrimp products.
In an increasingly competitive global shrimp market, Vietnam faces several challenges, including high production costs, increasingly stringent requirements on environmental standards and sustainable development, and growing competition from lower-cost shrimp-producing countries.
To provide businesses and policymakers with a comprehensive view of the development of Vietnam’s shrimp industry, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has compiled the Vietnam Shrimp Industry Report 2021–2025 with an outlook to 2030.
The report focuses on the following key topics:
Through a comprehensive system of statistical data and market analysis, the report aims to provide businesses, policymakers, and research institutions with valuable reference information for strategic planning in production, business, and market development in the coming years.
VASEP cordially invites businesses and interested readers to register for the Vietnam Shrimp Industry Report 2021–2025 with an outlook to 2030.
Contact: Ms. Hai Yen Phone: +84 8 5858 2626 Email: nguyenyen@vasep.com.vn
Or register via the following link: https://vasep.com.vn/ban-tin-bao-cao/bao-cao-san-pham-thuy-san/bao-cao-nganh-hang-tom-2021-2025-du-bao-den-nam-2030-26614.html
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
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