Shrimp industry overcomes difficulties, expecting export breakthrough at the end of the year

(Dan Tri) - Despite facing many challenges and competition, the Vietnamese shrimp industry is still growing positively, expected to reach 3.6-3.8 billion USD in 2025 thanks to strong recovery in demand at the end of the year.

The above information was given by experts and businesses on October 10 at the event introducing VietShrimp Asia 2026 - International Exhibition of Shrimp Industry Technology, which will take place in Ho Chi Minh City in March 2026.

Breakthrough opportunity at the end of the year

Despite facing many challenges, especially in the US market, where Vietnamese shrimp must simultaneously bear three types of taxes: countervailing tax, anti-dumping tax and anti-subsidy tax, the shrimp industry still achieved impressive numbers, continuing to be the "champion" of our country's seafood export products in the past nine months.

According to a report from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in September, shrimp brought in 410 million USD, bringing the total turnover in the first 9 months of the year to 3.38 billion USD, up 20.3% over the same period last year. The main import markets are still: Japan, EU, US with expansion to the Asian region.

International visitors learn about Vietnamese shrimp products at an exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Ha Duyen).

Seafood trade experts believe that in the fourth quarter of 2025, market demand will increase towards the end of the year thanks to the recovery of purchasing power. US and Chinese importers are forecast to increase purchases again to serve the holidays and New Year, along with the stability of imports from the EU market.

Assessing the prospects of Vietnamese shrimp in the US, Ms. To Thi Tuong Lan, Deputy Secretary General of VASEP, said that although exports to the US have slightly decreased and stagnated in the past 9 months, in general, this is still a market with a huge demand for shrimp in the last months of the year, especially in the value-added product line.

Over the past 8 months, the US has accounted for 28% of Vietnam’s value-added shrimp import market share. And this product is forecast to continue to be a bright spot in exports to this market in the remaining months of 2025.

“Vietnam is emerging as a major value-added processing hub in the world . There are products that Vietnam’s direct competitors, such as India and Ecuador, cannot produce. Therefore, supermarket chains in the US still have to source goods from Vietnam,” said Ms. Lan.

According to VASEP, the global shrimp market is witnessing a strong shift from raw materials to value-added products. With that trend, domestic shrimp production and processing enterprises have also caught up very well, when value-added products have accounted for 30-40% of Vietnam's total shrimp export output. This is an opportunity for Vietnam.

Many optimistic signals from production areas

A report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment shows that whiteleg shrimp output in the first 9 months of 2025 is estimated at 719,700 tons, up 7.1% over the same period last year. Black tiger shrimp output in the first 9 months of 2025 is estimated at 212,300 tons, up 3.5%.

Shrimp production has grown quite well, mainly thanks to the strong transition to industrial farming models, super-intensive farming and high-tech applications. These models help to better control the farming environment, limit diseases, increase productivity and product quality, and reduce costs through the application of automatic feeding systems, environmental monitoring with sensors and recirculation treatment.

Shrimp processing at a factory in the Mekong Delta (Photo: Ha Duyen).

In September 2025, the domestic shrimp market showed a clear recovery, with raw shrimp prices generally at a good level. This is an important period, strengthening confidence for the entire industry as businesses accelerate exports and prepare goods for the year-end holiday season in major markets.

During the nine months, shrimp prices in key farming areas in the Mekong Delta increased sharply in large sizes due to high export demand, while smaller sizes remained stable or decreased slightly.

Mr. Vu Tuan Cuong, Director of the 3K Center, Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) said that with the export price of shrimp increasing by 20% compared to the same period in 2024, depending on the size, thereby helping farmers have a good profit. Shrimp farming in key areas across the country is therefore still well maintained, the supply is therefore also very abundant.

“There are still 3 months left from now until the end of the year. I think that with favorable developments in terms of market and price, and abundant supply, the shrimp industry this year has many good prospects,” Mr. Cuong added.

However, to achieve good results, many experts believe that the shrimp industry needs to change its thinking, green the production chain, standardize production and implement synchronous solutions to reduce production costs and improve product competitiveness in the market. Focus on choosing models and farming technologies suitable for each region, combined with good control of the quality of seeds, feed, water for ponds and control of waste, pathogens and harmful agents, etc.

In terms of market, businesses need to restructure export markets. Instead of focusing too much on one market, they should simultaneously exploit the CPTPP, EU and China regions to balance risks.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/nganh-tom-vuot-kho-ky-vong-but-pha-xuat-khau-dip-cuoi-nam-20251010193919339.htm