Photo: VASEP/FIS

Vietnam's Seafood Exports Set to Surpass $11 Billion Record in 2025

VIET NAM
Monday, December 08, 2025, 05:00 (GMT + 9)

Strong November Figures Driven by Preemptive Shipments Amid US Regulatory Uncertainty

Vietnam's seafood exports are projected to achieve a historic high in 2025, with annual revenues expected to reach between $11.2 billion and $11.3 billion. This optimistic forecast follows a strong performance in November 2025, where exports totaled nearly $990 million, marking a 6.6% increase compared to November 2024.

Key Growth Drivers and Market Performance

The strong November results reflect the proactive strategies of Vietnamese enterprises to expedite deliveries. This move was particularly influenced by the approaching deadline for new seafood import regulations in the United States and the anticipated final decision on the anti-dumping lawsuit concerning shrimp products.

Ms. Le Hang, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), confirmed these efforts.

• Shrimp led the surge in November, reaching over $385 million, an increase of 11.7%. Both whiteleg shrimp and lobster recorded double-digit growth.

• Pangasius exports reached nearly $197 million (+9.7%).

• Other fish, squid, and mollusks continued their positive growth trends.

Source: VASEP

Cumulative 11-Month Snapshot

For the first 11 months of 2025, total seafood exports accumulated to more than $10.5 billion, representing a 14.6% year-over-year increase.

Shrimp remains the fastest-growing sector. Mollusks, marine fish, and value-added products all sustained double-digit growth.

Market Dynamics

The CPTPP market became the largest export destination, accounting for 27.2% of the total and seeing a sharp increase of 24.3%. Exports to China - Hong Kong soared by 30.6%, and the EU market grew by 11.9%.

Source: VASEP

The United States market, however, saw a slight decrease of nearly 5% in November. While accumulated exports to the US for the 11 months reached $1.78 billion (+8.1%), there were noticeable signs of a slowdown in the fourth quarter.

Outlook and Challenges

While a slight seasonal dip is expected in December, with businesses showing caution regarding the US market until new regulations are clarified, the full-year projections are strong:

• Shrimp exports are expected to exceed $4.6 billion, establishing a new industry record.

• Pangasius is estimated to reach over $2.1 billion.

• Tuna is forecast to reach over $900 million, closing in on the $1 billion mark.

Despite consolidating its position in major global markets, the Vietnamese seafood industry faces a significant challenge as the US plans to tighten import requirements starting in 2026. Enterprises are urged to prepare for heightened demands on supply chain transparency, compliance with labor standards, efforts to combat IUU fishing, and increasing the production of value-added products.

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