According to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in the first two months of the year, lobster exports reached nearly USD 30 million, an increase of 1,746% compared to USD 1.6 million in the same period last year.

Of which, blue lobster (rock lobster) exports accounted for more than 90% with USD 27.6 million, an increase of 80 times, followed by cotton lobster with USD 2.15 million, an increase of 45 times over the same period.

China is still the largest import market for Vietnamese lobster products, with a value of nearly USD 29 million, 27 times higher than the same period last year.

Since October 2023, China has stopped importing Vietnam's cotton lobsters, because of regulations related to the country's Wildlife Protection Law. To export lobsters to China, businesses must prove that the shrimp seeds are not caught directly from the sea, demonstrate a clear farming process.

On January 20, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam and his delegation went to work with the government of Guangdong province (China) on trade cooperation and agricultural development.

The two sides agreed to coordinate to solve problems in import and export of sturgeon and lobster under a special mechanism and will include it in the Protocol between the two countries. While waiting for the signing of the Protocol, China will consider and create a special mechanism for businesses to register to export lobster to this country.

While waiting for this special mechanism, many cotton lobster farmers have switched to raising blue lobsters. The demand for blue lobsters from China is still quite high, farmers still export live blue shrimp to this market, while only a small portion of cotton lobsters are exported here as frozen products.

In addition to China, Vietnam also exports blue lobsters and cotton lobsters to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, and crayfish to the US.

Kylie Nguyen