From January to May, Vietnam earned nearly US$274 million from these exports, up over 24% year-on-year.

The Republic of Korea remained Vietnam’s top market, with turnover surpassing US$100 million,accounting for 36% of total exports and rising 6% from the same period last year. Most exports to the RoK were frozen squid and pre-processed steamed octopus.

Japan ranked second, importing nearly US$69 million worth of squid and octopus, up 19% year-on-year. Demand from the Japanese market has remained stable, favoring high-quality products like sashimi-grade squid and steamed octopus.

Meanwhile, exports to China rebounded strongly, reaching over US$26 million, up 2% year-on-year as Chinese importers stepped up purchases of frozen squid and pre-cooked products to meet rising demand from the food service sector.

Shipments to the EU also showed robust growth, climbing 11% year-on-year to nearly US$15 million. Exports to key EU markets such as Italy, Spain, and Belgium grew by 6%, 71%, and 24%, respectively.

Notably, several emerging markets, including the Philippines, UAE, Cambodia, and Canada, also posted strong growth of over 40% year-on-year, thereby opening up new opportunities for Vietnamese exporters, particularly in the mid-range segment.

With momentum building in the first half of the year, VASEP expects Vietnam to reach or surpass its US$700 million export target. To sustain growth, the industry is urged to invest in deep processing, strengthen origin traceability, and boost emerging market expansion.

RoK emerges as largest importer of Vietnamese squid and octopus

VOV.VN - Vietnam raked in US$62 million from exporting squid and octopus in January, up 45% year on year, of which the Republic of Korea (RoK) represented the largest export market, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).