According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, Vietnam’s crab and crayfish exports have consistently grown in the first half of 2025, albeit with fluctuating growth rates. Exports during this period peaked in the last decade, surpassing $173 million, a 38% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
While exports of Vietnamese crab products maintained steady growth month-over-month in the second quarter, crayfish and shrimp exports witnessed a sharp decline in the last month of the quarter.
Cumulatively, in the first six months of 2025, exports of Vietnamese crab and shrimp products were higher compared to the same period last year, while crayfish exports decreased.
In the first half of 2025, Vietnam’s crab, crayfish, and other crustaceans were exported to 25 global markets. Exports to major markets mostly experienced positive growth during this quarter.
In the leading market of China and Hong Kong, crab and crayfish exports slowed down in the second quarter after robust growth in the first quarter. Vietnamese crab prices remain stable and cater to the mid-to-high-end segment, facilitating easy penetration into restaurants, supermarkets, and e-commerce platforms in major cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou.
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers believes that with geographical advantages, processing capabilities, and an expanding crab and crayfish farming ecosystem, Vietnam can increase its market share in this high-potential market. In 2025, Vietnam’s crab and crayfish exports to China could reach $200 million if opportunities arising from market openings and premium consumption trends are seized.
Despite the significant potential, exporting crab and crayfish to China also faces challenges such as stringent quarantine and traceability requirements, competition from other major suppliers like Russia, Canada, and Indonesia, logistics costs, and trade policy fluctuations.
In the CPTPP bloc, some countries reduced their imports of Vietnamese crab and other crustaceans in the second quarter, including Canada and the UK. Conversely, exports to Australia rebounded with a strong 58% growth during this quarter.
Additionally, exports of crab and crayfish to the EU maintained high growth, increasing by 71% compared to the second quarter of 2024, despite a slight slowdown from the first quarter of 2025.
Currently, over 93 Vietnamese enterprises are engaged in exporting crab, crayfish, and other crustaceans, including prominent names such as Trung Son Long An Co., Ltd., Bach Dang International Co., Ltd., and Hoang Ha International Logistics.
According to these enterprises, Vietnamese crab and crayfish products are favored in many markets due to their high quality and absence of antibiotic or pathogenic bacterial contamination. Ca Mau crab, a renowned specialty, is highly sought-after both domestically and internationally. Green crab, a delicacy sourced from the waters of Vietnam, is also a popular dish among local and international consumers.
While crab and crayfish have been mainstream export items for many years, shrimp is a newly developed product in the last few years. Shrimp is abundant in the Mekong Delta provinces, with Ca Mau being the most famous source. In 2019, the tradition of salting shrimp in Ca Mau was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
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