Statistics from Singapore’s Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority show that Vietnam had earlier climbed from sixth to fifth place in 2024 and fourth place in the first quarter of this year.
This underscores the increasingly important role of Vietnamese seafood in Singapore, as well as the city-state’s growing demand and confidence in the quality and branding of Vietnam’s seafood products.
Kenneth Chia, president of the Seafood Industries Association Singapore, noted that trade between Vietnam and Singapore has grown steadily for more than two decades. Many Singaporean companies regard Vietnam as a key seafood sourcing market, with several firms stationing staff in Vietnam to procure products directly. This has helped build strong relationships and mutual trust.
Singaporean consumers use and trust Vietnamese products. Many Vietnamese companies have met their requirements very well, Chia said.
Singapore produces little agricultural output and imports around 90% of its food supply. With its high per capita income, the city-state has strong demand for high-quality food products. Its relatively small but diverse population also makes it an ideal test market for new products before global rollout.
As such, Vietnam’s seafood exports to Singapore effectively capitalize on free trade agreements, export promotion policies, close coordination between ministries, local authorities and industry associations, and the dynamism of Vietnamese seafood enterprises.
The role of the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore as a bridge for bilateral trade connectivity has also been pivotal.
Cao Xuan Thang, Vietnam’s trade counsellor in the city-state, stressed that Singapore is an open market pursuing supply diversification to ensure food security. To remain competitive, he advised Vietnamese exporters to strengthen quality management across the entire value chain, from aquaculture and processing to traceability and sustainable farming, while adopting advanced technologies.
Chia added that Vietnam should invest more in research and development to create value-added seafood products tailored to Singapore’s restaurant and food service sector, benefiting trade on both sides.
ASEAN remains a major partner and a global transshipment gateway for Vietnam. Within the bloc, Singapore serves as a key logistics and global seafood trading hub, offering strong advantages in ports, warehousing, logistics and financial services.
Therefore, strengthening cooperation with Singapore can help Vietnam sustain stable export growth and expand its reach to regional and global markets.
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