Vietnam’s shrimp exports rose 20% year-on-year to USD 690 million in the first two months of 2026, buoyed by strong demand from China, particularly for lobster, while shipments to the United States declined amid higher tariffs and tighter controls.
February exports totalled nearly USD 310 million, up 17% from a year earlier. Growth slowed from January’s 22% increase, reflecting seasonal disruptions during the Lunar New Year holiday that affected processing and deliveries.
China remained the main growth driver. Exports to China reached USD 168 million in February, up 131% year-on-year, bringing the January-February total to USD 298 million, up 61%. Including Hong Kong, shipments totalled USD 309 million in the two-month period, up 58% and accounting for 45% of Vietnam’s total shrimp exports.
Shipments to the United States fell sharply. February exports dropped 61% from a year earlier to USD 16 million, while the two-month total declined 22% to nearly USD 60 million.
Exports to Japan fell 28% in February to USD 25 million, though the January–February figure edged up 1% to $70 million. South Korea imports dropped 42% in February to USD 14 million, with the two-month total down 14% at USD 41 million. The European Union posted steadier growth, with February exports up 18% at USD 30 million and the two-month figure rising 28% to USD 77 million.
By value in the first two months, China ranked as Vietnam’s largest shrimp market, followed by the European Union, Japan, the United States and South Korea.
By product, lobster recorded the strongest expansion. Lobster exports rose 65% year-on-year to USD 259 million in January–February. Spiny lobster accounted for USD 206 million, up 32%, while ornate lobster exports increased 43% to nearly USD 1.3 million. Other lobster species generated USD 52 million.
Whiteleg shrimp, Vietnam’s main export product, generated USD 341.5 million in the two-month period, up 4.5% and accounting for nearly half of total shrimp export value. Black tiger shrimp exports rose 13% to USD 44.6 million. Other shrimp products, including freshwater prawn varieties, also increased.
The jump in lobster shipments partly explains the surge in exports to China, a key market for live and high-value seafood, particularly around the Lunar New Year period.
The United States remains a weak spot. Final results of the 19th administrative review of anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese frozen warmwater shrimp imposed duties of 25.76% on two mandatory respondents, while 22 companies received a separate rate of 4.58%.
A 10% additional import tariff announced by the White House on Feb. 20 under Section 122, effective from Feb. 24 for 150 days, has also weighed on trade, although its full impact was not yet reflected in February data.
U.S. authorities have also tightened controls on seafood imports, including checks on antibiotic residues, HACCP compliance and traceability requirements, potentially affecting clearance times and costs.
Logistics disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East could add to freight costs to some markets in the coming months.
With production and shipments returning to normal after the holiday, exports may pick up in March. However, market conditions remain uneven, with China expected to underpin demand while U.S. trade faces continued tariff and regulatory pressures.
VFM
