According to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, in the first 2 months of 2024, seafood exports increased by 13% over the same period last year, mainly thanks to a breakthrough increase of 64% in January 2024. Many main products had positive growth in the past 2 months. Out of which, whiteleg shrimp increased by 18%, tuna increased by 21%, pangasius increased by 6.5% and black tiger shrimp increased by 9%. Notably, lobster exports have skyrocketed more than 18 times compared to the same period last year.
By the end of February 2024, lobster exports reached nearly 30 million USD, an increase of 1,746% compared to 1.6 million USD in the same period last year. Out of which, blue lobster (rock lobster) export accounted for more than 90% with 27.6 million USD, an increase of 80 times, followed by cotton lobster reaching 2.15 million USD, an increase of 45 foldtimes over the same period last year.
China is still the largest import market for Vietnamese lobster products, with a value of nearly 29 million USD, 27 foldtimes higher than the same period last year. From October 2023, China has stopped importing Vietnam's cotton lobsters because of regulations related to the country's Wildlife Protection Law.
To export spiny lobsters to China, enterprises must prove that the shrimp seeds are not caught directly from the sea, demonstrate a clear farming process and do not use breeds exploited from the wild, meaning they must be F2 generation; Importers must have a license...
On January 20, 2024, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam led the Ministry's delegation to work with the people's government of Guangdong province (China) on trade and development agriculture cooperation.
In related working contents, the two sides also agreed to coordinate to handle problems in import and export of sturgeon and rock lobster under a special mechanism and will include it in the protocol between the two countries. While waiting for signing of the protocol, China will consider and create a special mechanism for establishments to register to export lobster to this country.
While waiting for this special mechanism, many cotton lobster farmers have switched to raising blue lobsters. Demand for blue lobster from China is still quite high, farmers still export live blue shrimp to this market, while only a small portion of spiny lobster is exported here as frozen products.
In addition to China, Vietnam also exports blue lobsters and spiny lobsters to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore and crayfish to the US.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn