AsemconnectVietnam - Although Vietnam's total seafood import value in the first six months of 2026 saw a slight decrease, the vibrant activity in June indicated that businesses are actively preparing raw materials for the peak production cycle at the end of the year.

According to VITIC's calculations, based on data from the Vietnam Customs Department, the total seafood import value of the whole country in the first half of 2026 reached US$1.56 billion, recording a slight decrease of 0.95% compared to the same period of 2025. Experts assess this as an insignificant adjustment, showing that the ability of domestic businesses to maintain their raw material supply chains remains very strong in the face of global economic fluctuations.
The import value in June of 2026 surged, reaching US$280.13 million, a 10.44% increase compared to May. This increase reflects the clear recovery in demand for raw materials for export processing and domestic consumption.
In the structure of supplying countries, India continued to affirm its role as Vietnam's leading strategic partner. In the first six months of the year, Vietnam spent over US$257.46 million importing seafood from India, accounting for 16.43% of the country's total imports and increasing by 9.23% compared to the same period last year.
In particular, in June of 2026, the country’s imports of seafood from India increased by 40.03% compared to the previous month, reaching US$52.06 million, consolidating its position as a key source of raw materials for export processing factories in Vietnam.
The Chinese (mainland) market also recorded positive development, ranking 6th in value with US$160.19 million, showing stable growth of 17.99% compared to the same period in 2025. The seafood trade relationship between the two countries continues to develop sustainably.
The prominent trend in the first half of this year was the impressive growth from markets with stringent quality standards. Specifically, the seafood imports from Japa reached US$170.04 million, accounting for 10.85% of the market share and showing strong growth of 38.65% compared to the same period last year. The imports of seafood from the United States recorded a growth of 44.08%, reaching US$58.77 million in the first six months of the year.
The imports of seafood from the Southeast Asian region, however, witnessed a significant decline with US$215.45 million in the first six months, a decrease of 23.11% compared to the same period last year. Of this, the imports from Indonesia decreased sharply by 26.48%, and from the Philippines by 30.08%.
Experts believe that maintaining high import values despite changing market conditions demonstrates Vietnam's position as a global seafood processing hub. The strategy of diversifying supply sources from India and Japan to the United States not only helps businesses secure raw materials but also minimizes the risk of dependence on a single market.
CK
Source: VITIC