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) On July 9, 2026, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil organized the seminar titled “Sharing Information on Vietnam-Brazil Economic, Trade and Investment Relations in the First Half of 2026” to provide updates on bilateral cooperation and strengthen connections among government agencies, industry associations, and business communities of the two countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports in the first 6 months of the year continued to be a bright spot with a total turnover of 5.7 billion USD, an increase of 11.4% compared to the same period last year. By commodity group, seafood is one of the three groups with a trade balance in the first 6 months of 2026 in a surplus state with 4.13 billion USD, an increase of 17%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) For many years, Vietnam’s seafood industry has been recognized as one of the country’s key export pillars. Products such as shrimp, pangasius, tuna, squid, octopus, and a wide range of other seafood have reached hundreds of markets worldwide. Yet behind these impressive export figures lies a significant challenge: a substantial share of Vietnam’s seafood export value still comes from minimally processed products, contract manufacturing, and raw material exports—segments characterized by low profit margins and high vulnerability to fluctuations in global prices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the context of a global economy shifting powerfully toward green and sustainable values, Vietfish 2026 is far more than just a commercial trade fair. It has become a strategic rendezvous and a "comprehensive ecosystem"—a convergence of value, knowledge, and sustainable growth opportunities for the entire industry chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Colombia continued their strong upward momentum in May 2026. Export value to the market reached USD 4 million, up 24% compared to the same month in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 24 million, an impressive 48% increase year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Hai Phong's aquaculture sector is accelerating the adoption of high technologies in aquaculture to adapt to climate change, with red tilapia and tilapia identified as the key cultured species for priority development.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached nearly US$1.1 billion in June 2026, up 21.0% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first half of 2026 totaled nearly US$5.8 billion, representing a 12.8% increase compared with the same period last year. Exports to China and Hong Kong continued to accelerate, while shipments to the United States rebounded strongly in June. In contrast, exports to the EU, Japan, and the Middle East remained sluggish or recorded slight declines.
(vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is playing an increasingly important role in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, driven not only by growing market opportunities but also by its ability to meet increasingly stringent requirements on quality, food safety, and traceability. In practice, tilapia farming in Vietnam is not a spontaneous or loosely regulated activity; rather, it operates under a comprehensive legal and technical framework covering the entire value chain—from hatcheries and farming to processing and exports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.9 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 12% compared with the same period last year. Amid continued volatility in the global seafood market, this result demonstrates that the shrimp sector has maintained positive growth momentum, supported by improving demand in several Asian markets, particularly China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On June 16, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province announced that the locality has established a farming area code for nearly 30,400 hectares of mud crab aquaculture and granted export facility codes to five enterprises eligible to export mud crab officially to markets such as China, Cambodia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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