Vietnam lobster exports rise 44.3% to $585 million in first half of 2026
Vietnam’s lobster exports reached about $585 million in the first half of 2026, up 44.3% year on year. The sector is approaching a $1 billion milestone but remains highly dependent on China, which accounted for more than 98% of export revenue in 2025.
Exports accelerate in 2026
Vietnam exported about $585 million of lobster in the first half of 2026, an increase of 44.3% from the same period a year earlier, according to Thanh Nien, citing the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). The result puts the industry within reach of becoming a billion-dollar export category if growth can be supported by production planning, market access and investment in live-seafood logistics.
Lobster already represents nearly 25% of Vietnam’s total shrimp exports and 10.1% of the country’s overall seafood export value, VASEP said. In 2025, lobster export revenue reached about $858 million, rising sharply from previous years. The latest performance strengthens the product’s position as a high-value segment of Vietnam’s aquaculture industry rather than a small specialty trade.
China accounts for more than 98% of revenue
China remains the principal destination. Vietnam shipped about $841 million of lobster to the Chinese market in 2025, accounting for more than 98% of its total lobster export revenue. That concentration provides access to a large consumer base but also leaves farmers, packers and exporters exposed to changes in Chinese import rules, border conditions and seasonal demand.
China imported about 69,800 tonnes of lobster in 2025. Vietnam supplied roughly 24,100 tonnes, equivalent to a 34.5% share, making it China’s largest source. Vietnamese businesses benefit from geographic proximity, short delivery times and competitive logistics costs for live products. Their lobster also serves China’s medium- to high-end restaurant segment. Meanwhile, trade and tariff volatility has created difficulties for competing suppliers including Canada, the United States and Australia.
Market access and traceability remain critical
VASEP argues that lobster should be managed as a strategic, high-value seafood industry with its own development plan. Its proposals include designated farming areas, improved infrastructure for live-animal transport, packing capacity, quality standards and traceability. These investments will be necessary if exporters are to increase volumes without weakening survival rates, product quality or regulatory compliance.
The association also called for talks with China to address barriers affecting tropical rock lobster. Outstanding issues include requirements for F2 seed, scientific documentation, proof of origin and a possible controlled transition mechanism for commercial lobster raised at registered farms. Farmers, cooperatives and businesses will need guidance on farm and packing-facility codes, production records, seed and feed controls, aquatic veterinary medicines, residue limits, quarantine, food safety and shipment documentation.
VASEP further proposed a dedicated market-information and early-warning system covering changes in import regulations, border-gate conditions, tariffs, seasonal demand, prices and competition. The surge toward $1 billion therefore depends not only on Chinese consumption but also on Vietnam’s ability to formalize production and respond quickly to regulatory changes. With more than 98% of 2025 revenue tied to one market, compliance failures or interrupted border access would have an immediate effect across the supply chain.