Both two key export items as shrimp and pangasius surpassed the value threshold of US$1 billion, in which shrimp reached over US$2 billion for the first time.

To reach the impressive figure of more than US$2 billion, shrimp export had to overcome many obstacles from many sides, especially in the second half of 2010. Firstly, the lack of raw material shrimp for processing has occurred since QIII/2010 due to farmed shrimp died a lot in some localities. The continuous situation of adulterated shrimp, chemical and antibiotics residues made some markets to boost the control measures and create more pressure on processors who has been facing the fierce competition in the import markets.

 For pangasius, although its export value was not reached the target set earlier this year, that was the great efforts of pangasius industry when this fish continuously suffered from the "attacks" of foreign countries such as the antidumping duty of the U.S., the " campaign" of smear Vietnamese pangasius’s image via mass media and recently, putting it on the red list in the Guide Handbook for seafood consumption 2010 – 2011 by WWF in 6 EU countries… Besides, in the country, the intrinsic shortcomings were also clearly expressed when so many trading enterprises which have no processing plant, involved in export; the management of floor price has not been done, the advertising programs have not strong enough to promote the accurate and objective information to domestic and foreign consumers and the state management was still inadequate in whole chain from farming planning, seeds production to quality management of export products. Nevertheless, pangasius exporters overcame many difficulties to earn US$1.4 billion in 2010.