Chinese consumers spent some 70 million USD on Vietnamese lobster in January, marking a nine-fold increase against the same time last year.

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam's total aquatic exports in the month reached 774 million USD, up 3% year-on-year. This increase was primarily driven by strong Chinese demand for premium fresh seafood products, including lobster, crab, clams, and snails, as consumers prepared for Lunar New Year celebrations.

The lobster exports to China alone accounted for nearly half of Vietnam's total seafood exports to the country. Additionally, crab exports witnessed an eighteen-fold surge, reaching 18.5 million USD.

This robust demand from China helped boost Vietnam's overall shrimp exports by 24%, contributing significantly to the sector's growth.

Last year, Vietnam shipped 843 million USD worth of shrimp to China, a year-on-year rise of 39%. China surpassed the US as Vietnam’s largest shrimp export market.

VASEP said Vietnamese lobster, targeting high-income consumers, has maintained steady demand despite China's economic slowdown and reduced consumer spending. The resilience in the premium seafood segment offers Vietnamese businesses an opportunity to capitalise on the consumption patterns to maintain the industry's growth momentum throughout the year./.