According the Department of Customs, seafood export turnover in the first 11 months reached more than $10.3 billion, up nearly 15 percent year on year.

Shrimp and pangasius (catfish) remain the two largest export items, driving overall growth of the seafood sector. Specifically, shrimp exports reached $4.31 billion in 11 months, up 21.2 percent, while pangasius exceeded $2 billion, up 9 percent.

Exports of squid and octopus brought $0.7 billion in revenue, up 18 percent. Crabs and other crustaceans also surged 23 percent, bringing in nearly $0.36 billion. Other seafood products generated $2.25 billion, up 15 percent compared with the same period  2024. Tuna exports were the only segment to decline, down 5 percent to nearly $0.86 billion.

Vietnamese seafood is currently exported to 167 markets worldwide. Among them, China (including Hong Kong), the US and Japan remain the top three buyers, accounting for 54 percent of total seafood export value in the first 11 months of 2025.

Exports to China reached $2.26 billion, up 30.6 percent year on year. Shipments to the US totaled nearly $1.78 billion, up 6 percent, while exports to Japan exceeded $1.56 billion, up 10.3 percent.

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), seafood exports in December are expected to decline slightly compared with November due to seasonal factors and businesses’ cautiousness when trading with the US.

Many enterprises are temporarily restricting new seafood export contracts to the US until official guidance on new regulations is issued. However, shrimp exports may remain at levels similar to November or only decline slightly thanks to stable demand in Japan, the EU and CPTPP markets.

Analyzing the 11-month exports and year-end prospects, VASEP forecasts that Vietnam’s seafood exports could set a new record in 2025, reaching $11.2–$11.3 billion, the highest level ever.

Shrimp exports are expected to exceed $4.6 billion, establishing a new record for the segment. Pangasius exports are estimated to surpass $2.1 billion thanks to recovering demand from Asia and China. Tuna exports are also forecast to exceed $900 million, approaching the $1 billion mark.

At the 2025 year-end conference reviewing the 2021–2025 term and outlining key tasks for 2026, held on December 19, VASEP Secretary General Nguyen Hoai Nam emphasized that this is an important milestone contributing to the implementation of Vietnam’s Fisheries Development Strategy to 2030, approved by the Prime Minister. The achievement also makes a meaningful contribution to total agricultural exports, national exports and double-digit economic growth.

He highlighted the Prime Minister’s meeting with VASEP on April 13, 2023 at the Government Office as a particularly important milestone for the association. Together with two Government resolutions issued in April 2023 (Resolutions No50 and 58), the Prime Minister’s decisions and directives not only created positive sentiment and renewed momentum for the seafood business community, but were also translated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and other ministries into concrete support measures to address difficulties.

VASEP also recalled the special date of August 8, 2021. At a time when the country focused on combating the Covid-19 pandemic, seafood production and exports were severely disrupted, inventories of raw materials and finished products were high, yet enterprises still had to continue purchasing shrimp and fish from farmers and fishermen for processing and frozen storage.

At a meeting during that period, VASEP representatives proposed that the Government and relevant ministries consider reducing electricity costs for seafood enterprises due to increased freezing and cold storage requirements. The Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien immediately agreed on the proposal.

The Government issued Decree No97/2021/ND-CP shortly thereafter, granting a 10 percent electricity price reduction for three months to seafood enterprises in provinces implementing Directive 16. This support was timely and highly meaningful.

Over the last many years, especially during the challenging year of 2025, the seafood business community has received close support from ministries and agencies, particularly the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in many areas such as rules of origin, logistics, trade promotion, trade remedies and market expansion.

The Trade Promotion Agency has consistently coordinated with and supported the association in implementing highly effective national key trade fairs and promotion activities in major seafood import markets worldwide, including the US, the EU, China and Japan. This support has been especially important for the association and small enterprises in maintaining brand image and supplier positioning in global markets.

Tam An