Toan Dao

Contributing Editor reporting from Hanoi, Vietnam

Toan Dao has written about Vietnam’s business community, with a focus on energy and agriculture, for a number of Vietnamese and international outlets for more than 10 years. As a contributing editor for SeafoodSource in Southeast Asia, he also covers other major seafood producers in the region including Indonesia and Thailand.


Author Archive

Published on
August 1, 2025

Myanmar’s seafood exports declined between April and June of this year, even as the nation shortened its annual fishing ban aimed at giving key species time to spawn.

During the period, Myanmar exported 55,900 metric tons (MT) of seafood products worth USD 64.2 million (EUR 55.3 million), marking a drop of 8.8 percent year over year by volume and 7.5 percent by value compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from

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Published on
August 1, 2025

Vietnam’s tuna export industry is under pressure as domestic raw material shortages and stricter compliance rules have eroded its competitiveness in key markets.

The pressures on the industry have intensified recently amid tightening rules on traceability and fishing practices, particularly under a governmental decree introduced last year that restricts the purchase and processing of undersized skipjack tuna. The decree, effective from May

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Published on
July 29, 2025

India’s seafood industry is poised for a major export boost following the recent signing of the India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which eliminates import tariffs on a wide range of Indian marine products entering the U.K.

Signed on 24 July, the deal grants zero-duty access to 99 percent of tariff lines. 

Industry estimates suggest the deal could result in 70 percent growth in India’s seafood exports

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Published on
July 28, 2025

Sri Lanka has introduced a new set of rules to regulate the re-export of shrimp, aiming to address concerns from local farmers and maintain the country’s competitiveness in global seafood markets.

In recent years, the Sri Lankan government has allowed increasing imports of foreign shrimp for value addition and re-export purposes, aiming to meet international demand for seafood and accommodate rising domestic consumption, according to Sri

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Published on
July 25, 2025

After three straight months of growth, Vietnam’s seafood sales to the U.S. dropped in June.

June marked the first monthly year-over-year decline in Vietnam’s seafood exports to the U.S. since February, with total export value diving 17.7 percent to USD 131 million (EUR 113 million), the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said on 17 July.

The decrease was largely driven by the downward trend in sales value

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Published on
July 22, 2025
The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has temporarily halted the issuance of import clearance permits for several mackerel and scad species amid an investigation into alleged permit misuse. Philippines Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. recently signed a memorandum ordering… Read More
Published on
July 21, 2025

Pakistan’s seafood exports set a record by volume in the 2024-25 fiscal year but still fell short of hitting the sector’s long-held value goals.

The South Asian country sent 216,350 metric tons (MT) of fishery products abroad during the period, which ended in June 2025. That total marked an 8.3 percent jump from the nearly 200,000 MT sent abroad in fiscal year 2023-2024 and was largely attributed to the efforts of local fishermen and

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Published on
July 21, 2025

Indonesia’s seafood industry is grappling with uncertainty following a new reciprocal tariff announced by U.S. President Donald Trump – a move likely to accelerate the country’s ongoing efforts to diversify its export markets and reduce reliance on the U.S.

On 16 July, Trump announced that the U.S. will impose a 19-percent tariff on Indonesian goods starting 1 August, a reduction from the 32-percent rate initially floated on 2

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Published on
July 18, 2025

Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports are on track to reach their highest level since 2022 this year, driven by rising demand across several markets.

According to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the export value of squid and octopus this year is forecasted to exceed USD 700 million (EUR 604 million) as sales to a number of markets are on the rise. The last time export values were over USD 700 million was in

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Published on
July 16, 2025

Vietnamese pangasius exporters have posted strong sales and profits so far in 2025, but continued uncertainty in U.S. tariff policy may alter the industry’s strategies the rest of the year.

Siam Canadian Vietnam Sales Manager Le Thuy Trang told SeafoodSource that with mid-summer approaching, pangasius is now in peak breeding season, with fingerling quality holding strong and prices improving over previous cycles across Vietnam.

Though the

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