Exporting seafood from Vietnam? Don't trust Vietnam seafood suppliers blindly

The future of seafood sourcing in Vietnam lies in the foundation of strategic investments in processing technology and automation. Main Vietnam seafood suppliers are expected to benefit from the government’s new aquaculture roadmap, which aims for 7 million MT output by 2030. This will most likely translate into a scaling of seafood export quantities in the near future... while also leading to greater expectations from exporters regarding quality, logistics, regulations, and other challenges discussed below.

What seafood does Vietnam export?

Vietnam holds a strategic edge—leading Southeast Asia in shrimp and pangasius (basa fish) output. The country also dominates tuna and squid exports. The government’s new strategy places greater emphasis on farming fish, lobsters, other crustacean species, mollusks, and seaweed. The seafood export sector generated approximately $10 billion USD in 2024, with pangasius exports soared to 2 billion USD, shrimp exports alone contributed 4 billion USD in 2024.

Exporting seafood from Vietnam without a local sourcing partner is an open invitation to supplier abuse

Many first-time seafood buyers misread price as an indicator of value. Inexperienced exporters and importers often fall victim to unreliable seafood suppliers in Vietnam. New players in exporting seafood from Vietnam are being scammed every day. From mislabeled basa fish exports to shady tuna processors, Vietnam’s seafood sector hides pitfalls that shrimp importers in the USA, EU, and UAE often don’t catch—until it’s too late. Don’t be next — get the tools to protect your business. This is what they don’t want you to know about seafood suppliers and production in Vietnam:

English is not enough when sourcing seafood from Vietnam

"Factory looks clean, boss speaks English, what could go wrong?" — we’ve heard this so many times. Until one day they stop understanding you and ghost you. Understanding doesn’t guarantee execution. Language is easy. Accountability is hard. Cultural formality masks real issues and polite smiles can bury sourcing problems until they surface at customs. In exporting seafood, assumptions cost more than logistics. Clarity is the only way for international buyers working with Vietnamese seafood suppliers to avoid expensive misunderstandings. Vietnamia knows the difference—and acts before polite delays become expensive failures.

Behind closed doors, your premium seafood exports might be being handed off to uncertified subcontractors who bypass cold chain protocols. While this structure works in textiles or furniture, in seafood exports, every extra hand increases risk—hidden subcontracting to low-tier processors ruins your product while the "official" factory keeps its image clean—and when something goes wrong, the finger-pointing starts—but your brand takes the fall. Seafood export isn’t like textiles: it spoils, it absorbs contaminants, and it gets rejected at ports. Vietnamia repairs the damage caused by unreliable seafood suppliers relying on middlemen by giving you direct access to audited seafood processors.

"We had a contract. They broke it."

Vietnamese contracts are paper-thin without local legal leverage or translation-proofed clauses. We’ve seen dozens of Vietnam shrimp contracts fall apart due to vague terms and no local oversight, especially when suppliers target new seafood buyers in the USA and Middle East. Even “legit” seafood suppliers may ignore contract terms—because they know foreign buyers have no way to enforce them without incurring massive legal costs. A contract won’t help when your shrimp was packed at a site you never approved. Most seafood export disputes come down to undocumented substitutions or unofficial rerouting. In most cases, the supplier wins by default—and you absorb the losses. Even "legit" seafood suppliers may ignore contract terms—because they know foreign buyers have no way to enforce them without incurring massive legal costs. That’s where Vietnamia makes the difference—we offer boots-on-the-ground oversight that removes costly ambiguity from the export process.

"I thought the worst that could happen was a delay."

No — the worst is a container full of spoiled seafood, rejected at port, and a permanent black mark on your importer record. When you're exporting seafood, cold chain failures and power outages during Vietnam’s hot season can trigger bacterial growth and turn premium frozen seafood into soggy trash. Whether it’s frozen shrimp from Vietnam or chilled tuna headed to the UAE, one breakdown in cold chain compliance can turn a premium shipment into a rejected container at a USA port. Vietnamia works only with seafood suppliers who follow strict cold chain protocols—verified, not just claimed.

"I asked for MSC-certified tuna. They said yes. Turns out — it wasn’t."

MSC-certified tuna from Vietnam is in high demand, but many exporters abuse these labels when shipping to unaware UAE seafood buyers or new USA importers lacking documentation systems. Fake sustainability labels are printed easily when the client isn’t checking source documentation or chain-of-custody. Once that mislabeled shipment reaches the EU, it's not a misunderstanding—it’s fraud. In seafood exporting, certification isn’t a box to tick—it’s a system to prove.

When your "Grade A" seafood order becomes Grade B

Some seafood suppliers rely on importers failing to spot a bait-and-switch until the shipment arrives. In Vietnam’s seafood export market, these tactics are common when buyers skip on-site inspections before shipment. One mislabeled grade, and your premium pricing model collapses. You lose clients and margin when product grading doesn’t match spec. Similar to seafood, we often face these challenges when sourcing coffee, pepper & spices, coconut products, rice from Vietnam suppliers.

Don’t trust the photos and samples of seafood suppliers blindly

Photos in the offer looked great. What showed up in the box? Factory floor scraps. Vietnamese seafood suppliers impress you during sampling — and switch gears when you’re out of sight. The real shipment is often a Frankenstein mix of whatever’s cheapest that week — unless you’re watching every batch. Vietnamia prevents surprises by inspecting seafood exports in real time before product swaps happen—by managing quality control at origin.

You trusted the name and the badge. They used it to upsell you low-grade substitutes at premium pricing. Even certified factories can outsource risky steps to third parties without disclosing — and without liability. Vietnamia tracks the real production—not just the name on the export license.

How to source seafood in Vietnam without losing market access?

You need to understand that local standards are often far more lenient. "Prices looked amazing..." one of our past clients said, complaining about his previous experience, "until customs blocked my container." That’s what happens when your supplier uses banned antibiotics or fails EU/US traceability audits. You shouldn't confuse Vietnamese clearance with global compliance. A product might pass local inspection but still fail in the EU. Every extra middleman in the supply chain increases risk.

The wrong seafood supplier won’t just ruin your margins—they’ll destroy your market access. Exporting seafood from Vietnam is about proof, not connections. Working in Vietnam’s seafood industry takes more than having a contact at a processing facility. As a leading Vietnam's sourcing website, we link buyers with globally compliant seafood suppliers. Contact us now for a free consultation!