Vietnamese Tilapia Continues to Expand Strongly Across Markets
By market, Brazil remained the largest destination, with export value reaching USD 7 million, accounting for 49% of total exports in March. The United States ranked second with USD 4 million, representing 28%, up 16% year-on-year. Together, these two markets accounted for 77% of total exports, indicating a high level of dependence on key markets.
Meanwhile, several markets posted remarkable growth. Exports to Saudi Arabia reached USD 840 thousand, up 563%, while the Dominican Republic recorded USD 451 thousand, up 134%. In Asia, Japan reached USD 418 thousand, up 110%, and Malaysia reached USD 398 thousand, up 406%, showing rapidly rising demand for tilapia products.
Other markets such as Belgium recorded USD 301 thousand, up 15%, while South Korea reached USD 132 thousand, down 31%. Emerging markets like Papua New Guinea and Colombia recorded export values of USD 101 thousand and USD 99 thousand, respectively.
By market bloc, exports to CPTPP countries in March 2026 reached USD 1 million, accounting for 7% of total exports, up 29% year-on-year. Exports to the Middle East reached USD 878 thousand, accounting for 6%, up sharply by 460%, while ASEAN reached USD 435 thousand, accounting for 3%, up 433%. In contrast, exports to the European Union reached USD 516 thousand, accounting for 4%, down 14%.
Growth Driven by Key Markets
Overall, tilapia exports in March 2026 recorded strong growth, with the main drivers being Brazil and the United States, which together accounted for 77% of total export value. Growth in these two markets played a decisive role in the sector’s overall performance. Meanwhile, other markets such as Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and Japan saw impressive growth rates—many exceeding 100%—but their relatively small scale limited their overall contribution.
Although still modest in share, these emerging markets are considered to have strong potential in the long-term development strategy, helping Vietnam’s tilapia sector gradually reduce its dependence on a few major markets and enhance export sustainability. However, in the short term, rapid expansion into these markets remains constrained by production capacity and export capabilities. Currently, many Vietnamese enterprises continue to focus on expanding their presence in the U.S.—a large and stable market. In the long run, however, market diversification will be essential to ensure sustainable growth for Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(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).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The United States remains one of the largest export markets for Vietnamese pangasius. In the first four months of 2026, pangasius exports to the US reached USD 106 million, up 4% compared to the same period in 2025. In April 2026 alone, export value totaled USD 38 million, marking a 20% year-on-year increase and the first positive growth recorded after an extended period of decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While Vietnam’s shrimp exports to many major markets continued to post positive growth in the first months of 2026, exports to the United States declined, highlighting growing competitive pressures and trade barriers facing the Vietnamese shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Egypt is emerging as one of the most promising destinations for Vietnamese tuna exports in 2026. During the first four months of the year, export turnover to this market exceeded USD 7.3 million, marking a sharp increase compared to the same period over the previous two years. As Egypt’s tuna imports continue to recover and demand for canned tuna remains strong, the market is becoming increasingly attractive for Vietnamese tuna processors and exporters.
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