Vietnam seafood market remained resilient in May 2026 as shrimp and pangasius prices stayed firm
Monday, June 8,2026
AsemconnectVietnam - Vietnam's seafood market maintained a positive trend in May 2026, supported by recovering import demand from major markets, particularly China and several Asian countries. However, seafood processors and exporters continued to face challenges from rising production costs, raw material shortages and increasingly stringent trade regulations.
Shrimp prices in the Mekong Delta remained at relatively high levels during the month as demand from export-oriented processors stayed strong. Seafood companies continued to compete for raw materials, especially larger-sized shrimp destined for high-value export orders.
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) reported that supply-demand mismatches had emerged in the market as many farmers focused on producing large-sized shrimp, while some importing countries increasingly favored small and medium-sized products.
The pangasius sector also maintained favorable market conditions in May. Industry reports showed that pangasius farm-gate prices in the Mekong Delta remained elevated, supported by stable export demand and limited supply growth.
Earlier in the year, commercial pangasius prices in key producing provinces such as Dong Thap, An Giang and Can Tho reached around 35,000 dong ($1.34) per kg, the highest level recorded in several years.
According to industry sources, export-grade pangasius was traded at around 30,000-33,000 dong per kg, enabling farmers to maintain relatively strong profit margins.
Data released by the General Statistics Office and relevant authorities showed that Vietnam's fisheries production expanded steadily during the first four months of 2026, driven mainly by aquaculture activities.
Total fisheries output reached an estimated 3.04 million tonnes, up 3.1% from the same period last year. Aquaculture production increased 5.2% to 1.78 million tonnes, while capture fisheries output edged up 0.1% to 1.26 million tonnes as operators continued to face higher fuel costs and sustainability-related fishing regulations.
Fish production totaled 2.21 million tonnes, rising 2.5% year-on-year. Shrimp output reached 368,600 tonnes, up 6.6%, while other aquatic products increased 2.9% to 458,800 tonnes.
Seafood imports
Calculations based on data from the Vietnam Customs Department showed that seafood imports in April 2026 fell 2.98% from March but increased 4.22% from April 2025 to nearly $278.61 million.
During the first four months of 2026, seafood imports reached more than $1.03 billion, up 0.41% from the same period a year earlier.
India remained Vietnam's largest seafood supplier during the January-April period, accounting for 16.31% of total seafood imports. Import turnover from India reached $168.32 million, up 11.51% year-on-year.
In April alone, imports from India totaled $50.63 million, rising 17.49% from March and surging 40.19% from April 2025.
Norway ranked second among seafood suppliers, accounting for 11.33% of total imports. Shipments from Norway were valued at $116.86 million during the first four months of the year, up 2.64% from a year earlier.
April imports from Norway reached $26.83 million, down 22.82% from March and 8.46% from the same month last year.
Imports from Indonesia totaled $115.54 million during the first four months, representing 11.2% of Vietnam's total seafood imports. The figure fell 28.98% from the corresponding period in 2025.
In April, imports from Indonesia stood at $27.81 million, down 6.61% month-on-month and 35.72% year-on-year.
Imports from Japan reached $114.31 million in the January-April period, rising sharply by 53.96% from a year earlier and accounting for 11.08% of total seafood imports.
April imports from Japan totaled $33.38 million, down 7.88% from March but up 68.29% compared with April 2025.
Meanwhile, imports from South Korea reached $23.92 million in the first four months of 2026, down 16.87% year-on-year and accounting for 2.32% of total seafood imports.
April imports from South Korea amounted to $6.91 million, increasing 10.46% from March and 0.09% from the same month last year.
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Vietnam's seafood imports in April 2026
(Calculated from data released by the Vietnam Customs Department on May 13, 2026)
Unit: USD
|
Market
|
Apr 2026
|
Change from Mar 2026 (%)
|
Change from Apr 2025 (%)
|
Jan-Apr 2026
|
Change from Jan-Apr 2025 (%)
|
Share (%)
|
|
TOTAL
|
278,608,212
|
-2.98
|
4.22
|
1,031,790,877
|
0.41
|
100.00
|
|
RCEP FTA (15 markets)
|
102,166,079
|
-5.05
|
3.70
|
392,502,442
|
0.08
|
38.04
|
|
CPTPP FTA (11 markets)
|
52,470,905
|
-15.74
|
19.84
|
203,938,895
|
24.38
|
19.77
|
|
India
|
50,628,630
|
17.49
|
40.19
|
168,322,910
|
11.51
|
16.31
|
|
Southeast Asia
|
32,357,287
|
-15.71
|
-37.09
|
145,842,570
|
-24.62
|
14.13
|
|
Norway
|
26,832,800
|
-22.82
|
-8.46
|
116,858,806
|
2.64
|
11.33
|
|
Indonesia
|
27,811,191
|
-6.61
|
-35.72
|
115,539,176
|
-28.98
|
11.20
|
|
Japan
|
33,377,947
|
-7.88
|
68.29
|
114,313,943
|
53.56
|
11.08
|
|
China (Mainland)
|
29,520,429
|
10.46
|
45.03
|
108,426,716
|
13.53
|
10.51
|
|
Chile
|
11,713,826
|
-30.09
|
-33.80
|
50,110,276
|
-17.19
|
4.86
|
|
United States
|
16,311,510
|
195.17
|
200.48
|
35,358,203
|
86.43
|
3.43
|
|
EAEU FTA (5 markets)
|
10,150,854
|
58.51
|
-38.20
|
30,503,730
|
-8.17
|
2.96
|
|
Russia
|
10,150,854
|
58.51
|
-38.20
|
30,503,730
|
-8.17
|
2.96
|
|
Taiwan (China)
|
6,102,074
|
-28.94
|
-31.43
|
28,033,442
|
-32.60
|
2.72
|
|
South Korea
|
6,910,416
|
10.46
|
0.09
|
23,919,213
|
-16.87
|
2.32
|
|
United Kingdom
|
4,640,823
|
4.69
|
5.14
|
21,250,145
|
33.29
|
2.06
|
|
Philippines
|
1,271,866
|
-65.16
|
-68.66
|
12,269,572
|
-23.98
|
1.19
|
Source: VITIC calculations based on Vietnam Customs Department data.
Seafood exports
According to calculations based on Vietnam Customs data, seafood exports in April 2026 rose 9.11% from March and increased 12.26% from April 2025 to more than $1.01 billion.
During the first four months of 2026, seafood export turnover reached over $3.65 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 13.69%.
China remained Vietnam's largest seafood export market, accounting for 26.04% of total seafood exports during the January-April period.
Exports to China reached nearly $950.74 million, surging 48.39% from the same period of 2025.
In April alone, shipments to China totaled $244.45 million, up 12.5% from March and 38.5% from April last year.
The United States ranked second, accounting for 14.12% of Vietnam's total seafood export value.
Exports to the U.S. reached $515.52 million during the first four months of 2026, down 3.08% year-on-year.
April shipments to the U.S. totaled $172.69 million, increasing 28.91% from March and 7.01% from a year earlier.
Japan remained the third-largest export destination. Exports to Japan reached $499.72 million during the January-April period, up 1.56% from a year earlier and accounting for 13.69% of total seafood exports.
April exports to Japan stood at $134.35 million, rising 1.61% month-on-month and 0.93% year-on-year.
Exports to members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) reached $2.07 billion during the first four months of 2026, accounting for 56.78% of total seafood exports and increasing 22.18% from the same period last year.
Shipments to members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) totaled $943.56 million, up 7.4% year-on-year and representing 25.85% of total exports.
Exports to the European Union reached $330.30 million, accounting for 9.05% of total seafood exports and posting a marginal increase of 0.12%.
Exports to Southeast Asian markets totaled $244.93 million, up 16.65% from a year earlier and representing 6.71% of total export turnover.
Exports to South Korea reached $253.21 million during the January-April period, increasing 2.75% year-on-year and accounting for 6.94% of total seafood exports.
In April, shipments to South Korea stood at $70.56 million, up 3.21% from March and 5.71% from April 2025.
Vietnam's seafood exports in April 2026
(Calculated from data released by the Vietnam Customs Department on May 13, 2026)
Unit: USD
|
Market
|
Apr 2026
|
Change from Mar 2026 (%)
|
Change from Apr 2025 (%)
|
Jan-Apr 2026
|
Change from Jan-Apr 2025 (%)
|
Share (%)
|
|
TOTAL
|
1,011,325,188
|
9.11
|
12.26
|
3,650,720,854
|
13.69
|
100.00
|
|
RCEP FTA (15 markets)
|
542,571,301
|
4.31
|
17.10
|
2,073,029,420
|
22.18
|
56.78
|
|
China (Mainland)
|
244,452,584
|
12.50
|
38.50
|
950,740,070
|
48.39
|
26.04
|
|
CPTPP FTA (11 markets)
|
257,221,249
|
1.48
|
7.98
|
943,561,074
|
7.40
|
25.85
|
|
United States
|
172,688,102
|
28.91
|
7.01
|
515,524,792
|
-3.08
|
14.12
|
|
Japan
|
134,353,702
|
1.61
|
0.93
|
499,717,467
|
1.56
|
13.69
|
|
EU (EVFTA-27 markets)
|
86,196,308
|
-1.52
|
-10.92
|
330,299,578
|
0.12
|
9.05
|
|
South Korea
|
70,557,321
|
3.21
|
5.71
|
253,206,835
|
2.75
|
6.94
|
|
Southeast Asia
|
60,826,029
|
-7.89
|
9.73
|
244,925,665
|
16.65
|
6.71
|
|
Australia
|
30,061,154
|
-9.41
|
3.11
|
114,584,317
|
13.61
|
3.14
|
|
Thailand
|
22,171,624
|
-26.18
|
1.37
|
108,746,720
|
18.61
|
2.98
|
|
United Kingdom
|
29,162,554
|
22.66
|
6.90
|
97,048,866
|
6.00
|
2.66
|
|
Canada
|
23,249,414
|
-15.99
|
13.95
|
85,975,524
|
4.51
|
2.36
|
|
Brazil
|
23,538,242
|
22.72
|
57.31
|
83,958,844
|
36.12
|
2.30
|
|
EAEU FTA (5 markets)
|
20,803,686
|
3.19
|
32.01
|
69,103,338
|
7.55
|
1.89
|
|
Russia
|
20,691,231
|
2.63
|
31.91
|
68,923,533
|
8.06
|
1.89
|
|
Netherlands
|
18,927,264
|
-5.04
|
-6.49
|
67,606,135
|
3.11
|
1.85
|
|
Taiwan (China)
|
21,226,986
|
28.71
|
41.91
|
67,390,632
|
38.08
|
1.85
|
|
Germany
|
15,880,538
|
7.50
|
3.08
|
64,485,594
|
0.05
|
1.77
|
|
Hong Kong (China)
|
11,446,336
|
-15.52
|
-9.58
|
48,706,521
|
1.98
|
1.33
|
|
Malaysia
|
14,925,012
|
27.08
|
54.65
|
46,997,921
|
24.49
|
1.29
|
|
Belgium
|
12,707,040
|
4.54
|
-7.47
|
46,010,066
|
0.36
|
1.26
|
|
Philippines
|
11,019,923
|
1.89
|
7.74
|
41,353,981
|
23.89
|
1.13
|
|
Mexico
|
10,845,870
|
34.54
|
87.09
|
40,490,415
|
41.16
|
1.11
|
|
Singapore
|
8,273,859
|
-17.58
|
10.47
|
34,476,195
|
20.82
|
0.94
|
|
Spain
|
6,718,869
|
-19.84
|
-5.75
|
28,722,830
|
21.40
|
0.79
|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
7,547,818
|
21.61
|
-9.61
|
23,966,567
|
-13.58
|
0.66
|
|
Colombia
|
5,135,901
|
-16.82
|
27.66
|
23,269,643
|
65.62
|
0.64
|
|
Italy
|
6,756,924
|
22.06
|
-40.08
|
23,082,749
|
-33.57
|
0.63
|
|
Israel
|
6,066,589
|
-0.42
|
17.41
|
22,437,197
|
30.31
|
0.61
|
Source: VITIC calculations based on Vietnam Customs Department data.
Source: VITIC
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