Data from International Trade Center (ITC) revealed that in QI/2015, China increase imports seafood coded HS03 by 10% compared to QI/ 2014. however, it was 14% lower than QIV/2014. Frozen, whole fish (HS0303) occupied the largest share in seafood import structure with 27.5%.
In QI/2015, Vietnam was the only pangasius supplier to China. Pangasius imports surged by 50% compared to QI/2014. It is expected that many opportunities are reserved for pangasius exporters. Nonetheless, it is a potential market which grows when other falls, not a sustainable one.
In recent years, China has focused on aquaculture. Farming in 11 key provinces including Jiangxi, Guangxi, Hubei, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Shandong, Anhui and Hunan represents 90% of aquaculture production. These provinces are coastal areas or located along the river with unique aquatic species. Cheap freshwater aquaculture production can only fulfill demand in small provinces. The market needs more seafood products, including pangasius.
There are 3 reasons for the surge in Vietnam pangasius exports to China in H1/2015. Firstly, as demand in major importing market such as the US, EU, ASEAN, Mexico, Brazil reduce, market diversity is a must and China is a new and potential one. Secondly beside consumption, China imported pangasius to process and export to the US. Thirdly, to sustainably develop domestic seafood industry, Chinese government offered a new credit package of 20 billion Yuan beside other policies to encourage imports.
Despite being a potential market for pangasius from Vietnam, most trading activities are cross-border. Just over 10% of the imported products were for restaurants, mostly for other domestic consumption and processing. Quality is not highly required, which is not good for reputation of exported pangasius and other seafood. This causes risks of price, payment, quality requirements and therefore, China not a stable market. But still, it is a a potential alternative market while demand major markets decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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