Vietnam’s shrimp exports approach $2.8 billion as China drives growth
Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly $2.8 billion in the first seven months of 2026, up 13.5% year on year. China provided much of the growth, while tariffs, competition and high input costs continued to pressure exporters in other markets.
Seven-month exports rise 13.5%
Vietnam exported nearly $2.8 billion of shrimp in the first seven months of 2026, an increase of 13.5% from the same period of 2025, according to an analysis by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) reported by VietBao. The result kept the industry on a growth path entering the final months of the year, although performance differed sharply across destination markets and product categories.
July shipments were worth $452 million, up 10% year on year. Monthly revenue nevertheless slipped below the $458 million recorded in June. The comparison indicates that exports continued to expand against the previous year but did not generate a fresh month-on-month acceleration. For processors and exporters, maintaining revenue growth will therefore depend on both demand in major markets and the profitability of individual orders.
China accounts for one-third of revenue
China remained the principal growth engine. Vietnamese shrimp exports to the market approached $939 million during the seven-month period, rising 42.3% and accounting for 33.5% of the country’s total shrimp export revenue. The rate of expansion was more than three times the overall industry growth rate, increasing exporters’ exposure to Chinese purchasing conditions.
When China and Hong Kong are combined, shipments exceeded $980 million, up 39.6%, and represented about 35% of total shrimp exports. Lobster was among the product groups delivering positive results. The figures reinforce the commercial importance of Asian demand at a time when exporters are seeking markets with additional room for growth, but they also show how heavily the headline increase relied on one regional destination cluster.
Tariffs and competition pressure margins
The expansion in China contrasted with greater pressure in several other markets. VietBao said the United States continued to present challenges related to tariffs and competition. Vietnamese suppliers are also competing with shrimp-producing countries that have advantages in pricing and production costs. With input expenses remaining high, this combination is putting additional pressure on company margins even when total export turnover is rising.
The widening gap between markets leaves exporters with two linked decisions: where to allocate supply and which product mix can preserve returns. Protecting established markets remains important, but stronger development of Asian destinations and other regions with unused potential could spread commercial risk. That pivot must be managed carefully because replacing a mature market involves differences in customer specifications, product demand and attainable prices.
Prospects for the remainder of 2026 will depend substantially on demand in the largest destinations and on exporters’ ability to respond to changes in tariffs, costs and competitive supply. The nearly $2.8 billion recorded through July provides a positive base, but revenue alone will not determine the industry’s performance. Processors and producers must also defend margins, match products to the markets showing the strongest demand and avoid excessive dependence on a single source of growth.