The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has noted a significant increase in demand for Vietnamese shrimp in the US and Chinese markets. In the first two months of the year, shrimp exports to the US rose by 26% to reach 72 million USD, while exports to China surged by 76% in February to 39 million USD. The high quality of Vietnamese shrimp, compared to competitors from Ecuador and India, is expected to contribute to a shrimp farming area of 737,000 hectares by 2023, producing over 1.1 million tons. Shrimp exports are projected to generate 4 billion USD for Vietnam this year, accounting for 45-50% of the country's seafood export value.