Vietnam’s squid, octopus exports to Thailand surge, paving the way to a key market

Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports to Thailand grew by 37% in the first half of 2025, signalling the potential for this market to become one of the country’s key destinations for these products.

Export value to Thailand reached 33 million USD in the first six months, accounting for 10% of Vietnam’s total squid and octopus export revenue and making Thailand the country’s fourth-largest single export market. Double-digit growth was recorded in both quarters, reflecting stable and expanding demand, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Squid remained the mainstay, with revenue hitting 32.5 million USD, up 35.6%. Notably, dried, grilled, and ready-to-eat squid brought in over 30 million USD, rising nearly 30% thanks to its convenience and alignment with Thai consumer preferences.

Fresh, live, and frozen squid saw an exceptional surge of 254%, indicating a rapidly increasing demand for raw materials for processing and fresh consumption.

While octopus accounted for a smaller share in value, it also achieved significant growth. Processed octopus exports jumped 250%, while dried, salted, fresh, live, and frozen octopus rose by over 43%.

VASEP described Thailand as a major seafood-consuming market with few technical barriers and tastes closely aligned with those of Vietnam, particularly favouring dried, fresh and processed squid and octopus.

“Given the proximity and evident potential, Thailand can fully develop into one of the key markets for Vietnam’s squid and octopus sector in the near future,” the association noted.

However, VASEP also warned of mounting competitive pressure as Thailand is diversifying supply sources from China, Argentina, and India at lower prices.

Vietnamese enterprises are urged to focus on deep processing, building robust supply chains, and meeting both quality and cost requirements to maintain a competitive edge./.