Seafood exports topped $4 billion in H1, a year-on-year increase of 15 percent, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs. In Q2 particularly, seafood export turnover increased by more than 21 percent over the same period last year, reaching nearly $2.4 billion. This led to firms reporting positive business results.

Vinh Hoan JSC earned over VND2.3 trillion in revenue and over VND260 billion in post-tax profit, up 41 percent and 16 percent year-on-year, respectively. According to its monthly report, VHC’s exports to most markets increased, with the two largest ones being the U.S. and China.

The Kien Hung JSC (KHS) said its net profit increased 10 times in Q2 as demand from Europe, America, Japan and South Korea temporarily recovered and stabilized. The firm also actively sought imported materials at competitive prices to maintain stable production.

The Minh Phu Seafood Corporation has yet to announce its H1 business results, but estimates a pre-tax profit of over VND300 billion, a year-on-year increase of 11 percent.

However, not all seafood exporters reported positive business results, partly because of high freight rates. The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said that by May, freight rates in some ports had doubled compared to late 2020 and sextupled compared to early 2020.

The Nam Viet Corporation reported an increase of over 20 percent in revenue in Q2 but a decrease of 26 percent in net profit year-on-year. The corporation attributed the decline in profit to a sharp rise in financial and selling expenses, that latter shooting up 137 percent compared to last year due to a hike in freight and transportation rates.

The Thuan Phuoc Seafood and Trading Corporation (THP) saw its profit fall even further to VND10 billion, half that of the same period last year, because of rising selling expenses.

The sea freight, which ups nearly times, cost the firm VND26 billion.

In early July, VASEP requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to report to PM the issues of container shortage and sea freight rates, seeking intervention to have the latter reduced to pre-November 2020 levels.