Vietnamese lobster faces import standard demands to China

The lobster export picture

According to Ms. Phung Thi Kim Thu, representative of the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), seafood exports in the first 6 months of 2026 achieved many positive results. Total industry export turnover reached 5.8 billion USD, up 12.7% compared to the same period in 2025.

In which shrimp exports continued to play the primary role, at 2.35 billion USD (up 14.2%), accounting for 40.7% of the total seafood export value. Notably, lobster commodities reached 584.6 million USD, up 44.3% over the same period, contributing 10.1% to total seafood export value and accounting for 24.9% of the shrimp industry's total turnover.

Considering product structure, green lobster remains the item accounting for the majority of export value from 2025 to present. This lobster species accounted for 98.3% of the sector's turnover in 2025 (843.2 million USD), whereas other lobster species, such as ornate spiny lobster (4.6 million USD), crayfish (1.1 million USD), and bamboo lobster (1 million USD), accounted for only small proportions. This trend continued in the first 6 months of 2026, when green lobster accounted for 573.6 million USD of the 576 million USD in lobster exported to China.

Regarding consumption markets, China remains the main destination for Vietnamese lobster. From 2022 to 2025, turnover in this market increased from 257.5 million USD to 841.3 million USD, consistently accounting for around 98% of the country's total lobster export value. In the first half of 2026, this figure reached 98.5%, equivalent to 576 million USD (up 44.9% over the same period). Other markets, such as Hong Kong, Thailand, the US, and Taiwan, account for only small proportions.

Viet Nam holds a strong position in China thanks to high demand for live lobster in this market, coupled with geographical proximity, which reduces costs and transit times for live shipments. Additionally, small and medium-sized green lobsters from Viet Nam are priced appropriately, within purchasing power, and make it easy for distributors to rotate orders.

In 2025, China imported approximately 69.8 thousand tons of lobster, in which Viet Nam led market share with 24.1 thousand tons (accounting for 34.5%), surpassing major supply sources such as Canada (15.4 thousand tons), the US (9.9 thousand tons), and Australia (7.0 thousand tons). This serves as a favorable moment for Vietnamese lobster to consolidate its footing, especially as North American competitors require extra time to recover following tariff policy adjustments.

Identifying barriers and sustainable development solutions

Alongside favorable results, Vietnamese lobster sector still faces numerous challenges. Relying almost entirely on a single market can generate risks when import regulations shift. The greatest difficulty currently is that exporting ornate spiny lobsters to China remains entangled in species conservation regulations and requirements to prove F2-generation origin. Along with this, the importing country is increasingly raising standards on quarantine, food safety, farming area codes, and packaging facility codes. Linkages among farmers, traders, and domestic enterprises remain loose, while competitive pressure from other nations is starting to rise again.

To untangle these bottlenecks, VASEP proposed considering lobster as a key export commodity to concentrate synchronized investment, from farming areas and breeding stock to preservation and logistics infrastructure. In the immediate future, functional agencies need to continue exchanges with the Chinese side to clarify technical requirements regarding ornate spiny lobster, perfect scientific dossiers on reproduction and resource stocks, and step up research cooperation with international partners such as Australia.

For farmers and enterprises, standardizing production processes is mandatory. Localities need to support the granting of farming area codes and packaging facility codes, and guide residents in recording electronic farming logs to support traceability. Good control of food safety, diseases, and antibiotic residues will help goods clear customs smoothly, mitigating risks of being detained for border inspection.

Furthermore, the industry needs to proactively monitor changes in border policies, tariffs, and moves by competing nations to respond in a timely manner. Besides maintaining stability in the Chinese market, enterprises should step-by-step seek opportunities to expand into other potential markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, or the Middle East. VASEP commits to continuing to serve as a bridge between enterprises and regulatory agencies, supporting the resolution of technical obstacles and accompanying farmers to build a solid Vietnamese lobster brand in the market.