In 2012, exports of pangasius were valued at USD 1.75 billion (EUR 1.3 billion), with Europe accounting for 24.4 percent at USD 425.8 million (EUR 326.7 million) and the U.S. for 20.6 percent at USD 358.9 (EUR 275.5 million). Within Europe, Spain is the largest market with a share of 5 percent valued at USD 86.7 million, the Netherlands has a 3.9 percent share valued at USD 68.4 million (EUR 52.5 million), Germany’s share is 3.3 percent (USD 57.4, EUR 44 million) and the U.K.’s is 2.1 percent (USD 36.2 million, EUR 27.8 million).
Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, deputy director general of the Vietnam Directorate of Fisheries, explained that export values were down in 2012 compared with 2011, but it is hoped that this situation can be improved in 2013 and a new trade association has just been formed to help achieve this.
He explained that programs had now been put in place to ensure pangasius production was undertaken to the higher standards expected by the market.
“We have put money and resources into research to improve juvenile quality, feed quality and production standards, with an emphasis on food safety, traceability, animal health, environmental protection and social standards,” he said.
“Part of this strategy is to encourage farmers to undertake ASC certification and our initial target of 10 percent of production certified by 2013 has already been exceeded by 5 percent. By the end of February 2013, fourteen farms are currently approved and a further four are undergoing audit.” The government has a highly ambitious target for all farms to be certified by 2015.
The larger companies have fully integrated operations, enabling them to control every stage of the production process. Vinh Hoan Corporation recently extended its involvement to rice production, with rice bran used in-feed and the husk used as biofuel at its feed factory. Its 47 hectare pangasius hatchery and 300 hectare of grow-out ponds are well designed and run, with extensive settlement ponds and water hyacinth beds to filter out nitrogen and phosphorous before the water returns to the Mekong river. Once harvested at 1 kilogram, fish are transported live to the processing unit in well boats to keep them in prime condition.
“We already had GlobalGAP, AquaGAP and BAP certification and the addition of ASC shows our commitment to environmentally responsible pangasius production, control over our fish meal and fish oil sources, and social responsibility. It also gives reassurance to our customers and has been an advantageous marketing tool,” said Nguyen Ngo Vi Tam, deputy general director of Vinh Hoan. The company was the first to be ASC certified in Vietnam.
Vinh Hoan is the main supplier of frozen plain and value added pangasius products to Dutch wholesaler Queens, which sells into all the major retailers. “We are very happy with the company’s production and processing standards and the ASC logo gives Dutch consumers confidence in the product,” said Harry Hoogendoorn Queens managing director.
The extensive and efficient primary processing unit is highly labour intensive, with some 2,000 local employees hand slaughtering, gutting, filleting, skinning, washing, checking, IQF or block freezing, packing and dispatching all over the world.
The Hung Vuong Corporation runs a similar intensive pangasius pond operation, raising and processing 120,000 MT of fish annually to GlobalGap and ASC standards. This is processed in their twelve factories built close to the production sites, for global export.
Nguyen Dang Khoa, vice sales manager of Hung Vuong, explained that the company aims to increase this to USD 300 million (EUR 230 million) by 2015. “Being certified against the ASC standard has definitely helped in our dealings with customers and we are gradually increasing the number of our farms that operate to the ASC standard. It has also improved production rates and reduced mortality, making our business more efficient.”
(vasep.com.vn) On November 11, 2026, in Can Tho, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will organize the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029: Opportunities and Headroom for Double-Digit Export Growth.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Business leader Do Ngoc Tai, General Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, was honored by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with the title “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur – Thanh Giong Cup 2026” at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). The event took place on the evening of October 11, 2026, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market is becoming increasingly segmented, not only among producing countries but also by product type and destination market. Supply is divided into groups with distinct competitive advantages: large volumes of whole fish and frozen fillets from Asia, high-value fresh fillets from Latin America, and substantial domestic consumption in several major producing countries.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK grew in the first eight months of 2026, despite signs of slowing import demand in the market. However, sharp fluctuations in orders, competition from major suppliers, and new traceability requirements are creating challenges for Vietnamese exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam is stepping up efforts to combat illegal fishing, protect marine ecosystems, expand digital monitoring, and develop science-based management to ensure the sea can support communities and the economy for generations to come.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The EU remains a critical market for Vietnamese shrimp; however, purchasing demand and import patterns are undergoing notable changes. According to Vietnam Customs data, as of September 15, 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU reached nearly $374 million, down 5% year-over-year and accounting for 10.7% of the country’s total shrimp export value. Meanwhile, the EU’s stotal shrimp imports through July 2026 contracted by 7% in volume, exhibiting divergent trends across Southern Europe, Northwestern Europe and Eastern Europe. These dynamics necessitate that Vietnamese enterprises closely monitor individualized market demand, rather than approaching the EU as a monolithic consumer block.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of surimi and fish cakes remained relatively stable year-over-year compared to 2025. Following a contraction in the initial months, export performance demonstrated improvement from June onward, peaking in August. However, the recovery has been uneven, characterized by divergent trends across major markets: robust growth was recorded in China, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan, whereas export volumes to South Korea, Indonesia, and select European markets contracted.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains one of Dong Thap’s key aquaculture species, with the province focusing on developing an integrated value chain covering seed production, commercial farming, deep processing and by-product utilization. The province is promoting high-tech, circular pangasius farming models featuring reduced water exchange and enhanced biosecurity, aiming to improve production efficiency and strengthen control over raw material quality.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in September 2026 are estimated at US$1.135 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, bringing total exports in the first nine months of the year to US$9.103 billion, up 11.4%. Behind this double-digit growth, however, increasingly divergent market trends are emerging: China–Hong Kong and ASEAN posted strong growth, while the U.S., EU and Japan all recorded declines in September.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Brazil became the largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, with export value reaching US$44 million, up 22,142% year-on-year and accounting for 49% of Vietnam’s total tilapia exports. In August alone, exports to Brazil reached US$4 million. However, behind this remarkable growth is a market that is imposing increasingly stringent requirements on imported supplies.
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