The value of Vietnam’s shrimp exports hit its highest level in three years over the first nine months of 2025 as demand spiked in major markets, including China, Europe, and member nations of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade bloc.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the export value of Vietnamese shrimp from January to September totaled more than USD 3.4 billion (EUR 2.9 billion), rising 22 percent from a year earlier. Besides rising consumption in key markets, VASEP also attributed the spike to Vietnamese producers’ increasing focus on premium and value-added products.
Shrimp sales to China, including Hong Kong, climbed 65 percent year over year to USD 966 million (EUR 828.7 million), making it the largest market for Vietnamese shrimp by accounting for nearly one-third of total revenue. Chinese importers have stepped up purchases of live shrimp, but their inventories are starting to build up, according to VASEP, which could lead to a possible slowdown in orders in the fourth quarter of this year.
Exports to CPTPP member countries rose 34 percent year over year to nearly USD 941 million (EUR 807.2 million), led by Japan, which purchased USD 426 million.
Sales to the U.S. increased 4 percent year over year in the nine-month period to USD 587 million (EUR 503.5 million). While U.S. demand has improved, Vietnamese exporters are becoming more wary of signing long-term contracts ahead of a U.S. antidumping duty decision due later this year and are shifting some shipments to Europe and Asian markets to reduce exposure, VASEP explained.
Exports to the E.U. in the period were worth USD 434 million (EUR 372.3 million), surging 21 percent year over year thanks to a growing uptake of sustainably certified products in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Whiteleg shrimp accounted for 65 percent of total export value at USD 2.2 billion (EUR 1.9 billion), which was up 9 percent from January to September 2024. Shipments of black tiger shrimp, meanwhile, grew 2 percent to nearly USD 343 million (EUR 294.2 million), driven by stable demand from Japan and China.
The successful period for Vietnamese shrimp exports came as India has had to drastically shift its export patterns due to steep U.S. tariffs. As a result, India’s total export volume in August, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced heavy tariff increases, totaled 56,712 metric tons (MT), marking a 9 percent drop from the same month the previous year.
Though the Vietnamese shrimp sector has been able to take advantage of tariff increases on competitors, VASEP said competition is likely to intensify in 2026 as major suppliers adjust policies and expand production, adding that Vietnam’s long-term competitiveness will depend on investment in more sustainable farming, digital supply chains, and higher-value products.
