According to records from clam exporting enterprises, the trend of customers shifting from long-term contracts to ordering individual small batches, flexible according to market demands.

A more cautious trend from the market side

Following a quite distinct upward momentum in 2025, Vietnam's clam exports entered 2026 with an intertwined picture: breaking out quite strongly at the beginning of the year, but starting from March onward beginning to slow down.

According to statistical data from Vietnam Customs, Vietnam's clam export turnover in the first 4 months of 2026 reached over 38 million USD, up 2% compared to the same period of 2025.

Mr. Nguyen Ho Nguyen, General Director of Lenger Seafood Vietnam Co., Ltd.—an enterprise specialized in processing and exporting products from clams and large bivalve mollusks in Vietnam, stated that in recent times, Vietnam's clam exports generally still maintained stability.

However, Vietnam's clam export industry bears distinct impacts from input cost fluctuations and a more cautious trend from the market side. Rising raw material prices have pulled along increases in export selling prices, causing customers to possess a tendency to consider more carefully and extend decision-making times regarding import volumes.

“From enterprise reality, we record the trend of customers shifting from long-term contracts to ordering individual small batches, flexible according to market demands. This demands that enterprises must adapt faster in production plans, while concurrently controlling costs well to maintain competitive capacity,” Mr. Nguyen informed.

The EU continues to be the core market, the US increases demand for large-sized clams

Despite many market fluctuations, clam export prospects are still evaluated positively at a number of mainstay markets.

According to Mr. Nguyen, the EU continues to be the core market of Vietnam's clam exports with stable demand and advantages from trade agreements such as the EVFTA.

Data from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) shows that in the first 4 months of 2026, Spain was the largest market of Vietnamese clams with 10 million USD, up 29% compared to the same period. Italy stood right behind with 9 million USD, up 5%. Portugal reached 5 million USD, decreasing slightly by 2%, but still sitting within the largest importing group.

According to EUMOFA, EU imports of bivalves from extra-bloc supply sources in the first 11 months of 2025 reached approximately 657 million EUR, up 9% in value and 7% in volume compared to the same period of 2024. This demonstrates that the entrance door into Europe for mollusk products, within which are clams, remains quite wide.

Meanwhile, the US market is emerging with an increasingly growing demand for large-sized clams, while the current supply remains restricted, opening up considerable room for exporters.

Also according to VASEP, in the first 4 months of 2026, Vietnam's clam exports to this market reached nearly 6 million USD, an increase of 49% compared to the same period last year. This constitutes a notable increase level, especially against a backdrop where Vietnamese enterprises must compete increasingly fiercely in the moderate and high value seafood segment.

“Lenger currently still maintains traditional markets well such as Spain and Italy, while concurrently recording positive signals from customers in the US for large-sized product lines. These constitute potential headings if enterprises can proactively secure appropriate raw material sources,” Mr. Nguyen shared.

Guaranteeing standardized raw material sources becomes increasingly difficult

In parallel with opportunities from the market, the Vietnamese clam industry is also facing a few challenges in maintaining supply sources and satisfying increasingly strict standards.

According to Mr. Nguyen, prominent is the lack of stability of raw material zones, increasingly high requirements on quality from importing markets, along with growing pressure on production costs. Besides, environmental factors such as climate change and farming zone pollution are also directly affecting product output volumes and quality.

“Guaranteeing standardized raw material sources in a stable manner is increasingly difficult, pulling along increases in quality control and standard compliance costs. Concurrently, strict requirements on traceability and sustainable development from the international market force enterprises to invest more methodically in the entire production chain,” Mr. Nguyen emphasized.

However, according to Mr. Nguyen, in a context where global consumption shifts toward green and sustainable directions, clams are one of the products possessing many advantages thanks to natural farming characteristics, being environmentally friendly, and matching sustainable development criteria. This serves as an important opportunity to raise product value if invested in the right direction.

Not only export markets, but the domestic market is also evaluated to possess plenty of development room left. Mr. Nguyen stated that Vietnam currently possesses a population of over 100 million people, within which the urban population proportion accounts for approximately 38.67%. In recent years, the economy maintained a high growth rate, and the urbanization process took place powerfully, pulling along the expansion of retail systems such as WinMart+, Bach Hoa Xanh... from urban centers to rural areas. This serves as a potential market for clean, green, and value-added products.

Lenger Vietnam currently has formed a business network connecting the nationwide delivery system, on the other hand always researching and developing new products and value-added products to satisfy well the consumption needs for green, clean, convenient, and high economic value products. Concurrently, it is also step-by-step upgrading the value chain through improving the quality of raw material zones, developing processed products, and strengthening cooperation with international partners.

“Constructing long-term relationships with large customers also contributes to raising the stability and position of Vietnamese clams in the global market. We believe that, if doing well from raw material zones, quality control to brand building, Vietnamese clams can completely raise value and affirm a sustainable position in the international market,” Mr. Nguyen expressed his confidence.

Mr. Nguyen Ho Nguyen, General Director of Lenger Seafood Vietnam Co., Ltd. stated: “Current challenges are not small, but are also precisely the driver for enterprises to restructure, elevate production standards, and develop in a longer-term, more professional direction, thereby step-by-step increasing the value and position of Vietnamese clams in the international market.”

Source: Bao Nong nghiep va Moi truong