Fish cake and surimi exports surge in the EU and China, maintaining a strong position in Asia

Asian market – The key market

Asian markets continue to be the main growth driver of the industry’s growth. By the end of August 2025, South Korea and Thailand remained the largest single markets, with export values of $56 million and $53 million respectively. These markets not only consume directly but also serve as reprocessing hubs supplying neighboring regions, ensuring stable demand.

The CPTPP bloc also recorded an impressive 24% growth, reaching $37 million. Exports to the key importing markets are performing strongly. Notably, Japan remains one of the top importers with nearly $21 million, up 22% year-on-year. This reflects a strong recovery in demand for Vietnam’s traditional and high-quality processed products.

However, this group of markets also saw some minor fluctuations in the past month, as exports to South Korea saw an unexpected slight decline of just over 2% compared to the same period last year.

EU and China – Emerging growth

The most remarkable highlight in the export picture of the first 8 months is the strong surge in the EU and China markets.

Exports to the EU skyrocketed by 60%, reaching nearly $20 million. Economic recovery and easing inflation have boosted demand for mid-priced, convenient processed products. Leading this growth is Lithuania, with imports soaring by 69%. This impressive growth shows that Vietnamese enterprises have effectively leveraged the advantages of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Meanwhile, China and Hong Kong market also demonstrated tremendous potential with a 50% growth, reaching a value of $31 million. The increasing demand for consumption and reprocessing in this billion-population market is opening up significant opportunities for Vietnamese exporters.

In contrast, the U.S market remained sluggish, growing only 2% over 8 months with exports of just under $7 million, reflecting challenges from tariff policies and cautious sentiment among importers.

Outlook and challenges

Overall, the outlook for Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi industry in the final months of the year is highly positive. Global consumption trends are increasingly favoring convenient, affordable alternative protein products, which are strengths of surimi.

Asian markets are expected to remain the main growth driver due to stable demand and flexible pricing. At the same time, recovery in the EU is expected to persist, focusing on convenient products aligned with cost-saving consumption trends.

However, the industry also faces significant challenges. Price competition from regional rivals such as India, Thailand and China is intensifying. In addition, rising logistics and raw material costs, along with increasingly stringent import requirements, demand that Vietnamese enterprises continuously enhance quality and competitiveness to sustain long-term growth.

Source:  https://seafood.vasep.com.vn/