According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), seafood exports in August reached $1.14 billion, up 6 percent year-on-year.

For the January-August period, total seafood export turnover reached $8 billion, representing an 11.8 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

China - Hong Kong (China) remained Vietnam’s largest seafood export market in August, generating $287.7 million, a 26.2 percent jump year-on-year. In the first eight months of 2026, cumulative exports to this market reached $2.03 billion, surging 33.4 percent and accounting for over 25 percent of the country’s total seafood export value.

VASEP highlighted that robust growth from China - Hong Kong (China) contributed more than $508 million to the sector's net increase, representing approximately 60 percent of overall growth. Import demand for key commodities, including shrimp, pangasius, crabs, and marine fish, remained strong in this market.

Conversely, exports to the United States fell 11.4 percent year-on-year in August to $167.74 million. For the January-August period, shipments to the US totaled $1,24 billion, virtually flat compared to the previous year. Exports to the EU also declined 1.6 percent to $749.9 million due to sluggish demand for shrimp and tuna.

Regarding regional markets in the eight-month period, shipments to Japan reached $1.11 billion, up 2 percent year-on-year, while exports to South Korea grew 4.9 percent to $566.3 million. ASEAN stood out as a bright spot, with eight-month export turnover reaching $544.9 million, up 20 percent year-on-year, driven by a 31 percent surge in August alone.

VASEP noted that shrimp remained the sector’s largest export commodity in August 2026, generating $485.5 million, up 5.7 percent year-on-year.