Vietnam’s crab exports have seen continuous growth since the beginning of 2024, according to the country’s customs data. In June 2024 alone, export value reached $28 million, a 27.3% increase from the previous month and a remarkable 71% surge compared to the same period in 2023.
For the first six months of the year, Vietnam’s crab export turnover reached $125 million, a 75% increase year-on-year. Crab exports nearly doubled, reaching almost $93 million, while shrimp exports increased by 33%, earning over $31 million.
China and Hong Kong remain the largest importers of Vietnamese crabs and other crustaceans, accounting for 43% of total export value. Exports to this market are surging, with triple-digit growth compared to the previous year, and this upward trend is consistent month after month.
In June 2024, exports of crabs and other crustaceans to China and Hong Kong increased a whopping 20 times compared to the same period last year, reaching nearly $13 million. For the first six months of this year, exports to this market totaled almost $54 million, reflecting a significant 623% increase.
According to VASEP, fresh seafood products have been a highlight in the overall export picture to the Chinese market, contributing to the rising sales of seafood exports to this destination.
In addition to fresh crabs, Vietnam also exports frozen and processed crab products, such as minced swamp crab, canned mud crab, crab legs, snow crab meat, and snow crab leg meat, to typical markets like the US, Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
In contrast, exports to Japan have been on a continuous downward trend for the last three months. In June 2024, the export value of crabs and other crustaceans to Japan decreased by 25% year-on-year, reaching $6 million. For the first six months, exports to Japan showed a slight decline of 0.3%, totaling $35 million.
On a more positive note, exports to the US and Canada are witnessing promising growth, with increases of 30% and 44%, respectively.
Conversely, exports to the EU countries paint a less optimistic picture. Crab exports to the EU during the first half of the year dropped by 46% compared to the same period last year. The persistence of the “yellow card” warning from the European Commission regarding Vietnam’s seafood industry has impacted exports to this market.
VASEP also noted that Vietnamese crab and crustacean products are now exported to 22 markets worldwide. The current situation of controlled inflation and economic recovery in various countries has boosted the demand for these products.
According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, more than 100 enterprises across the country participate in exporting these products. The top three exporting companies are Trung Son Long An Co., Ltd., Trung Son Hung Yen Foodstuff Corp., and Trinity Vietnam.
Vietnamese seafood products are in high demand globally due to their superior quality and absence of antibiotic and pathogenic bacterial contamination. Towards the end of last year, processed crab from Ca Mau Province was, for the first time, officially exported to the US and sold in supermarkets at a price of 1.3 million VND per kg.
