Frozen shrimp from Vietnam to China: what buyers specify and verify

Product on this route

Species and production

Penaeus vannamei, P. monodon (farmed)

Candidate HS headings

0306.17 — confirm classification with your customs broker. Historical trade tables use the older code 030613 for all frozen shrimp and prawns.

Raw frozen forms commonly specified

Raw shell-on and IQF — a starting list, not evidence that any producer can supply them.

Prepared / value-added

No prepared-shrimp trade evidenced for this route.

China import rules

• Applies to: All aquatic productsVerified

  Overseas producers, processors and cold stores must be registered with China Customs (GACC) on the recommendation of their own authority (Decree 248), through the CIFER system.

  Official source: GACC Decree 248 — registration of overseas manufacturers of imported food (gov.cn, Chinese)

• Applies to: All aquatic productsVerified

  Inner and outer packaging must show the species name, production method (marine catch, freshwater catch or aquaculture), production area, plant registration number and other details (Decree 249, Article 30).

  Official source: GACC Decree 249 — import and export food safety (gov.cn, Chinese)

• Applies to: AllNeeds confirmation

  Whether these decrees have been amended by later 2026 rules was not confirmed. Check with your Chinese importer.

  Official source: CIFER — overseas imported-food manufacturer registration system (China Single Window)

• Current eligibility of the origin country, the named processing establishment and the product form for China.
• Tariff classification, duties and importer registration — confirmed by your customs broker.

China import checks with links to the official authority.

Cold chain and logistics

• Agree the reefer set-point, a data logger per container and who downloads it at discharge; reject or claim against temperature excursions in writing.
• Ask for glaze percentage and net (de-glazed) weight on the carton and the invoice, then check both on arrival.
• Plan cold-store capacity at the discharge port before the vessel arrives; for standalone cold storage, see ColdMatch Group.

Standalone cold storage or reefer logistics? ColdMatch Group

FAQ — Vietnam shrimp for China

How do I source frozen shrimp from Vietnam for China?

Write one specification first: species, farmed or wild-caught, product form, count/size, glazing, packing, annual or seasonal volume, destination port, delivery window and the certificates your buyer requires. FishMatch reviews requests for annual or seasonal programs of USD 250,000 or more, free for buyers, and approaches screened producers on your behalf — there is no direct buyer–supplier contact.

What must be verified before importing into China?

Whether the origin country, the specific processing establishment and the product form are currently eligible for China, which official certificates and catch or production documents each lot needs, and labelling and residue rules. Check current official listings and your customs broker; a country appearing in trade statistics does not mean any particular plant is approved.

Is there a price or transit time for this route?

No price, volume or transit time is published here because none has been verified for this route. Offers depend on size, form, glazing, packing, Incoterms, timing and exchange rates; a reviewed RFQ returns comparable offers with their dates.

How much shrimp moves on this route?

2023: HS 030613 exports to China: US$365 million (quantity not reported). Source: WITS / UN Comtrade — Viet Nam 2023 exports of HS 030613 by partner (HS 1988/92). This is a historical customs value, not current demand or a supplier's capacity.

Other shrimp lanes