EVFTA paves the way for Vietnamese seafood to conquer high-end markets

Cooperation under VEFTA not only helps expand markets but also facilitates raw material diversification, technology transfer, and value creation for Vietnamese seafood products.

1. Opportunities in the High-End Swiss Market

Switzerland is a high-potential market for the premium segment, driven by high average income and strict standards regarding food safety, transparency, and sustainability. Notably, Vietnamese eco-certified mangrove-farmed shrimp holds a strong competitive advantage by combining high quality with mangrove forest ecosystem protection. To effectively capitalize on this, businesses must ensure full supply chain transparency, comply with sustainability certifications, carefully account for logistics costs, and accurately position their pricing to avoid direct competition with mass-market commodities.

2. Boosting Technological and Raw Material Cooperation with Norway and Iceland

The VEFTA agreement serves as a leverage to foster collaboration with Norway and Iceland—two nations with strong expertise in cold-water seafood (salmon, cod, mackerel, herring) and advanced technologies. Vietnamese enterprises can import raw materials from these countries for further processing and re-export, leveraging their existing deep-processing capacity. Simultaneously, Vietnam can adopt onboard preservation technologies, fisheries management practices, and advanced by-product processing techniques (heads, bones, skins) from Iceland to maximize value and minimize waste.

 

3. VASEP Recommendations and Commercial Outlook

Ms. Le Hang (Deputy Secretary-General of VASEP) noted that importing raw materials from EFTA for processing does not automatically entitle the end products to preferential tariff treatment in third-country markets; companies must thoroughly review rules of origin and technical standards. VASEP will step up market intelligence support, business matching, and bilateral trade promotion.

In 2025, Vietnam’s seafood exports to Switzerland reached $34.123 million (+15%), while exports to Norway reached $18.479 million (+95%). To turn VEFTA opportunities into tangible commercial results, enterprises need to optimize supply chain management, develop specialized product lines, and build long-term strategic partnerships.

AQUA MINA CO., LTD