In an unstable international seafood market, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports continued to record positive figures in the first 10 months of 2025. Despite facing difficulties with domestic raw material supply, the squid and octopus processing and export industry has maintained impressive growth. In October 2025, export turnover reached a new peak, showing strong demand from key markets during the year-end season.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors, by the end of October 2025, the export value of Vietnamese squid and octopus was 627 million USD. This is an increase of 19% compared to the same period last year. Although the domestic supply of raw materials remains scarce, October was the month with the highest export value for squid and octopus since the beginning of the year, reaching 83 million USD. This result was up 25% from September and also up 25% from October 2024. Demand from international markets has increased at the end of the year, especially for convenient, ready-made products.
Vietnam’s exports of squid and octopus to Thailand in 10 months of 2025 increased by 39% compared to the same period in 2024.
Vietnam’s squid and octopus export market continues to be led by countries in East Asia and ASEAN, accounting for up to 94% of the total value. South Korea is the largest partner, with 38% of total exports, followed by Japan at 23%.
Thailand, although an emerging market, has shown good growth, achieving a 39% increase in the past 10 months, with the main products being dried squid and instant grilled squid.
A special feature of these markets is the strong change in consumer trends toward convenient products such as instant dried squid, sun-dried squid, and processed octopus. Markets like South Korea and Japan are particularly fond of processed products, which has boosted the export growth of Vietnamese squid and octopus.
One of the notable factors in the squid and octopus export picture in 2025 is the change in consumer trends. Processed products, especially instant dried squid and frozen octopus, are becoming increasingly popular in key markets such as South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. These products are not only simple to use but also meet consumers’ needs for convenience and food safety.
This opens up significant opportunities for Vietnamese squid and octopus processing and exporting businesses, as the consumption trend for ready-to-eat products is increasing strongly. According to forecasts, if domestic raw material supply remains stable, the fourth quarter of 2025 could see an additional 10-15% growth compared to the third quarter. Thailand is a particularly promising market with high demand for instant dried squid and sun-dried squid, which will be a bright spot in the export strategy for the final months of the year.
Although Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports are expected to maintain positive growth in 2025, they may face numerous challenges in 2026 if the IUU yellow card from the EU market and the “MMPA red card” from the US market are not resolved.