In Cai Nuoc commune (Ca Mau), Mr. Lam, a longtime crab farmer, said that this year, crab prices increased even during their growth phase when they have less roe. Grade 1 crabs are currently being purchased by traders at the farms for up to 700,000 VND per kilogram, while grade 2 crabs range from 350,000-500,000 VND.

The main reason is the decrease in supply, while China has increased its purchases. According to Mr. Thanh, a farmer in Dam Doi, most of the crabs sold are those remaining from the harvest at the end of 5/2025. The new crop has just been stocked and needs another 3-4 months to be harvested, while the market is experiencing a shortage. "There are almost no quality crabs, so the price keeps soaring," he said.

Grade 1 crabs at a seafood store in TP HCM. Photo courtesy of the interviewee.

Grade 1 crabs at a seafood store in TP HCM. Photo courtesy of the interviewee.

In Ca Mau, crabs are commonly farmed using an improved extensive farming model, combined with shrimp ponds to take advantage of the natural ecosystem. Each crop lasts 4-5 months, but the percentage of grade 1 crabs is often low due to dependence on natural conditions, leading to a constant shortage of high-quality crabs, especially during the off-season like now.

In TP HCM, the price of grade 1 crabs has risen to 900,000 to one million VND per kilogram, the highest compared to the same period in many years. The main buyers are high-end restaurants and customers who want them for gifts.

According to Mr. Tran Van Truong, CEO of Hai San Hoang Gia chain, for over a month, the crab supply has decreased significantly while demand from China has surged. "Near the Mid-Autumn Festival, the demand for crab as a mooncake filling has also pushed the price up further," he said.

The export market has also seen a surge. Ms. Duong Thi Bich Nam, Director of Du Thai Binh Co., Ltd., said that unlike last year when China almost stopped importing crabs in the summer, this year, the volume of goods going to this market has increased sharply. "The wholesale price of crabs has reached 650,000 VND per kilogram. Meat crabs have also increased to 400,000-450,000 VND. Grade 1 export goods must be beautiful, with a lot of roe, each kilogram contains only 2-3 crabs," she said.

In addition to China, markets such as South Korea and Japan have also increased imports of live crabs from Vietnam, although output is still limited. These markets have high requirements for traceability and cold storage for 24-48 hours.

Customs data shows that in the first 5 months of the year, the export turnover of crabs, and other crustaceans to mainland China and Hong Kong reached nearly 80 million USD, a 71% increase compared to the same period last year. China is the world's largest crab importer with a turnover of 2.1 billion USD in 2024. Vietnam is the second largest supplier, after Russia.

Despite the great potential, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) warns that businesses face many barriers in quarantine, farming area codes, and price competition. Some batches of live crabs have been returned due to exceeding antibiotic residues or not meeting traceability requirements.

VASEP recommends that localities need to expand standardized farming areas and invest in cold storage and logistics systems to serve the export of live crabs, the segment with the highest profit margin. At the same time, businesses should aim for long-term contracts to reduce the risk of being pressured on price during the main season.

The association forecasts that crab demand will continue to increase in the third and fourth quarters thanks to the holiday season in China, South Korea, and some Asian countries. If quality is well controlled and the right time is taken advantage of, Vietnam's crab exports could reach 180-200 million USD this year.

Thi Ha