HCMC – Vietnam’s seafood exports surged in July as local exporters rushed to ship orders to the U.S. ahead of new tariffs taking effect on August 1.
Data from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) showed seafood exports in July amounted to US$971 million, up 6.1% year-on-year.
In the year to July, seafood exports had brought in US$6.22 billion, up 17.2% against the same period in 2024.
This strong performance was attributed to exporters speeding up shipments to the U.S. market before Washington began imposing high tariffs on August 1. However, Vietnam’s seafood exports to the U.S. still dropped 19.6% year-on-year in July, totaling US$145.8 million.
Over the seven-month period, shipments to the U.S. grew 10.4%, though VASEP said the increase largely reflected early deliveries to avoid the newly announced tariffs.
VASEP also warned that seafood exports to the U.S. may plunge in the remaining months of the year due to the 20% tariff.
Meanwhile, China emerged as Vietnam’s largest seafood importer in July, with imports valued at US$221.5 million, up 31.7% year-on-year.
Between January and July, Vietnam’s seafood exports to China amounted to US$1.327 billion, up 42.6% year-on-year, making the market a key growth driver that helped offset declining shipments to the U.S.
Several other major markets, including Japan, the European Union, South Korea, and ASEAN, also recorded positive growth, ranging from 9% to 24% year-on-year.
VASEP attributed the sector’s expansion in those markets to the effective use of free trade agreements, which helped firms increase market presence and reduce their reliance on the U.S.
The association forecast that if no further trade barriers are imposed by key markets, Vietnam’s seafood exports could reach US$9-9.2 billion in 2025.
However, it stressed that local enterprises should remain proactive in adapting to market changes, diversifying their customer base, boosting processing capacity, and investing in stable raw material areas to ensure long-term competitiveness.
