OVERVIEW ON VIETNAM PANGASIUS INDUSTRY

Vietnam's pangasius industry is an important industry, contributing greatly to the country's fisheries economy and exports have grown continuously over the years, especially in recent years, pangasius has brought in foreign currency from 1.8 - 2.4 billion USD for the export fisheries industry.

• Abundant supply: Vietnam has favorable natural conditions for pangasius farming, especially in the Mekong Delta provinces such as Dong Thap, An Giang, Vinh Long, Tien Giang. These regions have large river systems and lakes, suitable for pangasius farming.

• Large production scale: Vietnam is the largest pangasius producer in the world, with a very large production scale, including both farming and processing. Although the farming area has not increased sharply in the past 10 years, pangasius output has continued to grow steadily from 1.11 million tons (2015) to 1.787 million tons (2024). This increase in output can be attributed to improved pangasius farming productivity thanks to the application of new technology, more efficient production management and the application of sustainable farming methods.

• Diverse products: Vietnamese pangasius is processed into many different products such as pangasius fillets, frozen pangasius, seasoned pangasius fillets, fresh pangasius, etc. These products are mainly for export.

• Large exports: Vietnam is the world's leading pangasius exporter. Vietnam's pangasius exports in the period 2015-2024 have grown strongly, especially during the post-pandemic recovery period. Despite fluctuations in turnover and proportion, the pangasius industry still maintains its role as one of Vietnam's key seafood export industries. The main export markets include the United States, the EU, China, Brazil, Mexico and Southeast Asian countries. Vietnamese pangasius products are popular thanks to their good quality and competitive prices.

Since 2021, the proportion of pangasius in total seafood export turnover has increased again, up to 37.2% in 2022, reaching 2.4 billion USD, the highest level in the past 10 years. In 2024, pangasius export turnover is expected to reach over 2 billion USD, an increase of 10% compared to 2023.

• Technology application: Vietnam's pangasius industry is gradually shifting towards applying modern technologies in production and processing, including advanced fish farming technology, food processing technology, quality management systems that meet international standards (ISO, HACCP) and sustainability certifications such as ASC, Global Gap.

• Environmental issues: The pangasius industry also faces a number of environmental challenges, such as water pollution, fish feed sources, and sustainability in farming. However, solutions to improve environmental management and protection are being increasingly applied.

• Development potential: With increasing consumption demand, the Vietnamese pangasius industry has great potential for development, especially with support from state policies and innovation in technology and management.