Vietnam seafood sector targets higher value through technology and domestic demand

Exports rise as quality requirements tighten

Vietnam’s seafood exports reached nearly $6.9 billion in the first seven months of 2026, an increase of 12.8% from the same period a year earlier, according to Thoi Bao Ngan Hang. The expansion came despite volatile international trade and increasingly strict buyer requirements covering quality, food safety, origin traceability and environmental standards.

The industry is now seeking to generate more value from each unit of seafood rather than relying mainly on higher volumes and low costs. At Vietfish 2026, held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 19-21 under the theme “Innovation and Sustainability,” 335 companies from 18 countries and territories occupied 568 booths. The exhibition was expected to attract more than 13,000 professional and international visitors.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang said the industry must compete through quality, technology, value addition, branding and sustainability. That requires technology throughout the chain, including breeding, farming, disease management, processing, storage, logistics and traceability. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Hung said digital systems and data must deliver higher productivity, lower costs, better quality and greater transparency for companies, farmers and fishers.

Processing and certification move to the forefront

Pangasius illustrates the pressure to upgrade. Vietnam is the world’s largest producer and exporter of the fish, with shipments worth nearly $2.2 billion in 2025, but international buyers increasingly require suppliers to demonstrate compliance with recognized standards. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang said Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually expanded deeper processing, diversified its products and become better able to meet demanding market specifications.

The country has set a seafood export target of $12 billion for 2026. VASEP reported that exports were worth about $11.3 billion in 2025, reaching more than 170 countries, while national seafood production approached 10 million tonnes. Meeting the new target will therefore depend not only on selling more shrimp and fish, but also on raising the share of technology, processing and branded products in the export mix.

Domestic market offers a second growth channel

Vietnam’s domestic seafood market is worth only about $1 billion per year, far below the scale implied by national production and a population of nearly 100 million. Rising incomes, nutrition demand and greater interest in health are creating opportunities, but VASEP cautions that domestic consumers differ from export customers in taste, packaging, portion size, price, distribution and marketing.

Small packs of fish fillets, prepared meals and convenient products may fit urban households better than items designed for overseas buyers. Nguyen Thai Dung, deputy general director of Fujimart Vietnam, said companies should not concentrate only on fresh seafood because logistics, storage and transport costs are high. He called for more investment in preliminary and deeper processing and in value-added products adapted to domestic demand.

Supermarkets, convenience stores, e-commerce, restaurant chains and industrial kitchens are expanding routes to consumers. Retailers are also demanding traceability, input-level food safety and an uninterrupted cold chain. Tran Quang Huy, seafood purchasing manager at MM Mega Market Vietnam, identified those three controls as essential across the supply chain. A stronger home market could give processors a buffer when tariffs, technical barriers or environmental standards change abroad, while supporting steadier production and reducing dependence on a limited number of major export destinations.