Vietnam seafood faces tariff pressures, bets on value-added processing as export driver

Vietnam’s seafood industry heads into the final stretch of 2025 under both mounting pressures and fresh opportunities. Export revenues in the first seven months rose more than 17% year-on-year, with shrimp alone up nearly 24%. Yet the outlook is clouded by new tariff barriers in major markets.

Tariff headwinds in US and China
In the US – Vietnam’s biggest seafood market – shrimp, pangasius and tuna have all faced a 20% retaliatory tariff since August. On top of that, preliminary findings from the 19th administrative review (POR19) again slapped high anti-dumping duties on several shrimp exporters, further eroding competitiveness against rivals Ecuador and Indonesia.

China, a key buyer of pangasius, has meanwhile slowed sharply under the weight of heavy inventories, leaving Vietnamese exporters with more uncertainty.

Deep processing gains momentum
With raw and semi-processed products losing their edge, deep processing is emerging as the sector’s strategic pathway. Value-added lines from ready-to-eat to convenience foods not only align with global consumption trends but are also less exposed to tariff risks than basic raw items.

This advantage is reinforced by next-generation trade deals such as the EVFTA, CPTPP and UKVFTA, which broaden market access for higher-value goods. As EU technical hurdles ease and tariff preferences kick in, new opportunities are opening in premium markets including the EU, Japan, Australia and Canada, partly offsetting declines in the US.

From volume to value
Industry experts say today’s trade barriers are not only a setback but also a catalyst for restructuring. The future, they argue, lies less in expanding raw output and more in climbing the value chain through investment in processing technology, tailored product development and sustainable branding.

If pursued strategically, Vietnam’s seafood sector could not only weather near-term challenges but also reinforce its long-term position on the global export map.

Source:  https://vietfishmagazine.com/