The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) reported that April’s export turnover reached $947.8 million, bringing the total seafood export value for the first four months of 2026 to $3.7 billion. 

This represents a nearly 15% increase compared to the same period in 2025—a positive result driven by signs of recovering demand in several major markets.

During the first four months of 2026, China, Japan, and the United States remained Vietnam’s three largest seafood consumption markets.

Speaking at a recent conference in titled “Promoting Agro-Forestry-Fishery Exports and Ensuring 2026 Export Growth Targets,” General Secretary of VASEP, Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, stated that the seafood industry still has the opportunity to achieve a growth rate of 8-10%. This would bring export turnover to over $12 billion in 2026, provided there is timely support from the Government, ministries, and local authorities in institutional reform, reducing compliance costs, and addressing international trade barriers.

However, the industry currently faces significant hurdles, including shortages of raw materials and labor, high production costs, disease outbreaks, and trade defense investigations. Furthermore, major markets are imposing increasingly strict technical regulations and import requirements.

To address these issues, the VASEP representative emphasized the need for more flexible administrative mechanisms, particularly in the issuance of export documentation. Such improvements are essential to avoid incurring additional costs and ensuring that businesses can maintain their delivery schedules.

Remove bottlenecks to boost exports

On behalf of VASEP, Mr. Nam recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment promptly amend Circular 81/2025 and Circular 74/2025 to resolve obstacles in exporting wild-caught seafood to the EU and US markets. He emphasized the need to accelerate the digitalization of processes, simplify documentation, and ensure consistent implementation across all localities—particularly for small-scale fisheries—to simultaneously meet traceability requirements and support the livelihoods of fishermen.

A primary concern for businesses is the current labor shortage in the seafood processing industry. VASEP urged the Government and local authorities to implement solutions to stabilize the workforce, limit the mass export of labor from regions already facing production worker shortages, and establish rational industrial planning within local areas to prevent internal labor competition.

Regarding the development of raw material sources for export processing, VASEP proposed the creation of a master program to stabilize and develop supply from domestic aquaculture, fishing, and imports. 

The Association requested that the Government and relevant ministries task VASEP with researching and drafting a "Project for the Development of Seafood Raw Materials for Export Processing," aiming for an annual export turnover of $15–20 billion in the coming period.

In terms of credit and international trade, VASEP recommended maintaining preferential credit packages for the agro-forestry-fishery sectors and helping businesses access capital more easily. Furthermore, it called for strengthened economic diplomacy and trade promotion in key markets, including the United States, EU, China, Japan, South Korea, and the Middle East.

VASEP also requested that ministries continue to support businesses in responding to trade defense actions, anti-dumping cases, and regulations regarding the environment, traceability, and forced labor in major importing markets.

Source: VnEconomy