Vietnamese clams face the challenge of maintaining their position in major markets

This development shows that market demand still exists, though it is no longer moving uniformly upward as it did earlier in the year. For exporters, this is an important signal: Vietnamese clams continue to maintain their presence in many key markets, but market divergence is becoming increasingly apparent.

Europe remains the backbone of Vietnam’s clam exports

Looking at the market structure, Europe continues to play the leading role. In the first four months of 2026, Spain was the largest market for Vietnamese clams, with imports valued at USD 10 million, up 29% year-on-year. Italy followed closely with USD 9 million, up 5%. Portugal reached USD 5 million, down slightly by 2%, but still remained among the largest importers.

In fact, this trend aligns well with the global market picture for clams and bivalve mollusks. According to the FAO, market conditions for bivalves in 2025 were generally favorable across major markets. Clams in particular recorded strong demand, especially in Spain, France, and other EU countries, while supply faced pressure from climate conditions, harmful algae blooms, and biological factors, keeping prices at relatively high levels.

Not only is consumer demand strong, but import demand from outside the EU is also increasing. According to EUMOFA, EU imports of bivalves from non-EU suppliers during the first 11 months of 2025 reached approximately EUR 657 million, up 9% in value and 7% in volume compared to the same period in 2024. This indicates that the European market remains relatively open to mollusk products, including clams.

Exports to the US rise while China slows down

Another bright spot is the United States. In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s clam exports to the US reached nearly USD 6 million, up 49% compared to the same period last year. This is a notable increase, especially as Vietnamese companies face increasingly fierce competition in the mid- and high-value seafood segments.

The US market still offers considerable room for growth. According to NOAA, around 80% of the seafood consumed in the United States each year is imported. This means that suppliers capable of ensuring stable quality, food safety, and traceability continue to have opportunities in this market.

In contrast, China is showing a much clearer slowdown. In the first four months of 2026, clam exports to China reached only nearly USD 4 million, down as much as 52%. This sharp decline not only dragged down overall growth but also highlighted the risks of relying too heavily on short-term orders or unstable distribution channels.

Opportunities lie in niche markets

Beyond the major markets, Vietnam’s clam exports to several smaller destinations have shown strong growth, including Singapore up 93%, Australia up 57%, Germany up 84%, Belgium up 45%, Malaysia up 222%, and Mexico up 113%. Although these markets remain relatively small in scale, they are worth monitoring due to their strong growth momentum and potentially lower competitive pressure compared to traditional markets.

From a longer-term perspective, the EU remains one of the world’s most important clam-consuming regions. According to a European Commission report, Italy, Portugal, and Spain are among the EU’s main clam-producing countries, while also playing key roles in consumption and trade. Spain is also one of Europe’s largest seafood import markets.

This means opportunities for Vietnamese clams lie not only in selling products, but also in penetrating deeper into suitable segments such as convenient frozen products, consistently processed semi-prepared products, and product lines serving restaurants and modern retail channels.

Vietnam’s clam exports in 2026 are therefore unlikely to post strong and even growth every month, though they are still expected to remain higher than the same period last year. Europe, especially Spain and Italy, will likely continue serving as the main pillar. The US could remain a bright spot if demand stays stable. Meanwhile, the Chinese market may continue to fluctuate, while smaller markets could provide additional room to offset volatility elsewhere.