Exports of shrimp and farmed catfish (pangasius) to the United States fell sharply in August 2026, and a major Vietnamese seafood company has begun re-routing its sales channels toward Asia. Nguyen Van Dao, chairman and CEO of Godaco, has made clear a policy of redirecting the volume that thinned toward the United States to Asian demand. One of the targets is the Japanese market. The more U.S. tariffs pile up, the more good surplus raw material flows into Asia. For Japanese distribution and procurement, a good chance to review unit prices and trading terms has begun to move.<\/p>\n
Vietnam's seafood exports in January\u2013August 2026 were US$8 billion, holding an 11.8% year-on-year increase. The growth rate slowed somewhat from 12.8% at the seven-month mark, with the slump centered on the United States. Shrimp exports to the United States were US$427.6 million cumulatively over eight months, down 13.4% year on year, and in the single month of August fell to US$70 million, down 22% from the previous month. Farmed catfish sank even deeper, with August at US$12.5 million, down 54.8% year on year, and the eight-month cumulative at US$201.7 million, down 13.9%. Meanwhile, total shrimp export value secured US$3.29 billion (up 12.3%), with the downturn concentrated on the single point of the United States. The gap that U.S. tariffs opened for Vietnamese shrimp and Japanese procurement<\/a> widened further this summer.<\/p>\n The trigger for the slump is duties. In the 21st annual review (POR21) shown in mid-August, the anti-dumping duty on pangasius grew heavier by another notch. Bien Dong went from US$0.29 to US$1.00 per kilo, NTSF from US$0.07 to US$0.38, and Caseamex and Navico from US$0.23 to US$0.84, with the country-wide rate for all other companies set at US$2.39. On top of this rides a 12.5% additional tariff. Heavier than the 10% imposed on competing countries, this fixed a structure in which the more product goes on U.S. shelves, the thinner the margin. The pangasius-tariff confirmation and the background of white fish flowing to the CPTPP and Japan<\/a> appear clearly in the numbers in this review.<\/p>\n Godaco chairman Nguyen Van Dao showed a stance of redirecting supply to Asian demand rather than sitting and waiting for the loss to the United States. The more the U.S. tax burden and technical requirements pile up, the more they need destinations that can absorb volume without stopping the processing lines. Asian markets, including Japan, can serve directly as that catch basin. The fact that exporters have begun to seriously look at \"outside the United States\" means more partners come to the negotiating table for buyers.<\/p>\n The re-routing of destinations shows up in the statistics too. Shipments to China and Hong Kong were US$2.03 billion, up 33.4%, taking on roughly 60% of this sector's growth single-handedly. ASEAN was also up 20% at US$544.9 million, gaining momentum with the single month of August up 31%. For shrimp alone, China was up 37.6%, Korea up 16%, and ASEAN in August up 48%, with locations across Asia soaking up volume. The move from reliance on a single U.S. market to spreading cargo across multiple demand centers advanced in the figures. For exporters, a partner that steadily takes substantial volume is one they are loath to let go even if the price moves somewhat. Japan fits easily into that position.<\/p>\n Japan is part of the catch basin too. Shrimp to Japan was up 10% over eight months, carving out steady growth. It is not flashy, but Japan, which holds a tariff advantage within the CPTPP framework, is a partner that adds up for Vietnamese exporters. As the United States recedes on tax, room arises for good raw material that had been heavily directed to the United States to come up in negotiations with Japan. The move of Vietnamese shrimp seeking a path to Japan in the face of the 12.5% Section 301 U.S. tariff<\/a> is not a one-off but has become a flow through the summer.<\/p>\n If volume that lost its U.S. destination turns to Asia, supply gains depth. A phase in which sellers seek a \"stable buyer to replace the United States\" is a tailwind for Japanese buyers on terms. Beyond unit price, there is more room to talk about how lots are broken down, payment terms, and even annual supply plans. A period when the balance of power between seller and buyer shifts is exactly when it is worth approaching several companies at once and comparing terms. Rather than rushing to settle on one company, use the months in which U.S. pressure continues as a negotiating window. Processors that had a high U.S. ratio in particular are looking for partners to fill near-term operations and have ample room to accept substantial orders. Showing the supply outlook and desired price from the buyer side first makes talks easier to advance concretely.<\/p>\n Precisely because it is a good chance, nail down the substance of the terms. Because anti-dumping duties are handled differently for fresh and processed goods, the economics and uses change depending on which processing level is supplied and whether it is fillet or primary-processed product. Size uniformity, yield and the state of frozen management shape the actual usability. Whether certification such as ASC and proof of origin can be obtained also bears directly on domestic sales channels and retail requirements. Lining up these premises in writing before entering the price talk makes later discrepancies less likely.<\/p>\n The Vietnamese side sees the annual US$12 billion export target as within range if demand from China and Hong Kong continues. But a structure where China and Hong Kong carry 60% of the growth also carries a large reaction if that market wavers. If sellers want to spread Asian demand, Japan can hold negotiating leverage as \"another stable destination.\" With the stocking-up period toward the year-end season overlapping with the current U.S. pressure, there is wider room for Japanese buyers too to review trading terms. That said, the main catch basin for the volume spilling from the United States is China and Hong Kong, and it is not that Japan-bound volume has moved greatly.<\/p>\n The task is not difficult. Put out inquiries to several companies, including exporters that had a high U.S. ratio, and take quotes side by side with processing level and certification aligned. Comparing not only unit price but also continuity of supply and payment terms lets you build this summer's softer market into next season's procurement. The sales-channel pivot on the Vietnamese side that U.S. tariffs created is, for Japanese procurement, a practical good chance to rework trading terms.<\/p>\n References: Dan Tri, \"Shrimp and pangasius exports to the U.S. plunge; Vietnamese seafood seeks a new path\"<\/a>\uff0fSeafoodSource<\/a>\uff0fVi\u1ec7t Nam News<\/a><\/small><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" US tariffs caused Vietnam's shrimp and pangasius exports to the United States to plunge in August, and the major seafood company Godaco switched its sales channels to Asia. With China and Hong Kong leading the growth, a good opportunity has arisen for Japanese distribution and sourcing to review prices and trading terms.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[112,90,22],"tags":[747,296,548,583,748],"crop_category":[],"class_list":["post-1519","industry_news","type-industry_news","status-publish","hentry","category-japan-market","category-aquaculture","category-export","tag-747","tag-296","tag-548","tag-583","tag-748"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietnam-agri.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry_news\/1519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietnam-agri.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry_news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietnam-agri.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/industry_news"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietnam-agri.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietnam-agri.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietnam-agri.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1519"},{"taxonomy":"crop_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietnam-agri.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/crop_category?post=1519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The POR21 anti-dumping-duty increase broke the economics for the United States<\/h2>\n
Godaco's chairman switches sales channels to the Asian market<\/h2>\n
China and Hong Kong at US$2.03 billion accounted for 60% of the industry's growth<\/h2>\n
Shrimp to Japan up 10% over eight months, supported by CPTPP's tariff advantage<\/h2>\n
Room has arisen for the Japanese procurement side to negotiate prices and terms<\/h2>\n
Processing level, origin and certification terms to confirm in negotiations<\/h2>\n
Toward the year-end season\u2014a time axis watching the reaction to China dependence<\/h2>\n
One move Japanese buyers can make now<\/h2>\n
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