“Pangasius fillet is seen to impact substantially in the food sufficiency thrust of the government,” Department of Industry (DTI) Regional Operations and Development Group (RODG) Undersecretary Merly M. Cruz said during this year’s National Pangasius Conference in Antipolo City.
DTI, through RODG, earlier pushed a project on pangasius mainly to address the government’s food security program, and provide livelihood projects.
Pangga (pangasius hypothalamus) was introduced by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the Philippines in 1981. It belongs to the catfish family and known commonly then as an aquarium fish, named “hammer head shark”.
“The current focus on the pangasius industry is seen as a strategy for inclusive growth. It is looked at as a cluster-based development aimed at creating sustainable employment in the countryside and contributing to the food security program through micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) development,” Cruz said.
The DTI-RODG piloted its pangasius project in Mindanao, particularly in regions 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. The project expanded in regions 3, 4, 5, and 8. As of December 2011, a total of P202.358 million investments were recorded. These investments created 915 jobs in the industry’s hatcheries, nursery ponds, grow-out farms and processing companies.
“Our average monthly imports of pangasius fillet from Vietnam amounts to 600 metric tons valued at US$ 1.650 million,” Cruz said.
The Vietnam’s Mekong River is known for its tra (pangasius hypothalamus) and basa (pangasius bocourti) catfish varieties. These fish varieties were usually processed into fillet, nuggets, patties, steaks and steamed dumplings. These pangasius fillet were sold locally in grocery stores, and supplied in high-end and fast food chain restaurants like McDonalds, Chow King and Kenny Rogers.
“The importation of pangasius fillet from Vietnam increased from 2008 to 2010. It only declined in 2011,” Cruz said.
From 2008 to 2009, the country’s imports of pangasius increased by 69 percent, from 2,751 to 4,652 metric tons. In 2010, this trend continued, pangasius imports grew to 6,689 metric tons or 44 percent growth from the past year.
In 2011, the volume of imported pangasius from Vietnam fell to 4,836 metric tons, or 28 percent decrease from its 2010 level. This decrease can be attributed to the collaborative efforts of the government and the private sector to support the industry and the growing market of pangasius.
“By 2016, our goal is to substitute the country’s imports of Pangasius, which mostly come from Vietnam,” Cruz claimed.
“If the country will be able to substitute its monthly importation of 600 metric tons of pangasius fillet by 2016, two hundred seventy (270) hectares of land will be developed. This is expected to generate in Php650 million investments and Php945 million sales. Two thousand seven hundred (2,700) workers will be employed,” Cruz said.
According to BFAR data, total local production of pangasius grew by an average of 186.74 percent from 2008 to 2010.
“The increase in pangasius production can be attributed to the growing interest of Filipino businessmen to invest in pangasius industry. This reflects that government and private sectors’ efforts have paid off, and we need to sustain this momentum to ensure that the growth achieved will rebound to more growth and more benefits for all,” Cruz said. (PNA)
(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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