Vietnamese tra (Pangasius hypophthalmus), which is marketed as basa in the Indian market, has grown leaps and bounds in the last three years, industry players told IntraFish.
Propelled by its low pricing and year round availability, pangasius has made its way into several tiers in the restaurant scene -- coveted because it comes in a deboned, filleted format, and restaurants can use it in a variety of ways, and at almost half the price that local fish demand.
“Indian sea-caught material is going downhill,” said Rustom Irani, president of the state of Maharashtra in the Seafood Exporters Association of India. “There are no conservation efforts in Indian waters, and the fishermen are using smaller mesh size, and catching smaller fish. As a result, there are no good Indian fish for fillets for restaurant use.”
The volumes of pangasius coming into India has “gone through the roof," Irani said, and the following numbers quoted by importer Irfan Khan makes it easy to see why.
“Importers pay around INR 160 (€2.30/$3) to INR 170 (€2.40/$3.10) per kilogram, and market price starts around INR 185 (€2.60/$3.40) and goes up to INR 250 (€3.50/$4.60),” Irfan Khan told IntraFish.
Khan runs Harbour Exports, a major seafood importing company that supplies to middle tier and high end
restaurants and hotel chains across the country, but primarily in the city of Mumbai, India’s financial capital.
“Last year we imported 25 to 30 metric tons of basa every month, whereas before it was barely five metric tons,” he said.
“We expect it to go up to 100 metric tons a month next year -- 90 percent of the hotels and restaurants in Mumbai is now selling basa.”
Price advantage
In 2013, the Vietnamese pangasius production is forecast to fall to 800,000 metric tons, worth $1.5 billion (€1.2 billion).
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) blames economic crisis for poor outlook, saying changes are needed for recovery.
Vietnam has 300 pangasius exporters, the website noted, but only 70 pangasius processors.
This needs to be addressed and problems solved for the sector to develop and grow pangasius exports by 2014, the association's chairman previously told IntraFish.
More worrisome is the fact that seven out of 10 of Vietnam’s major export markets for the fish, such as the European Union, the United States, China, middle eastern countries and Egypt have decreased imports of the fish due to economic woes and spending cuts.
The reasons behind pangasius's rapid spread and acceptance in India are two-fold: it goes well with marinated spices and sauces that Indian ‘continental’ food is prepared in, especially Chinese food, a massively popular choice for Indians when dining out.
“Restaurant chains such as Mainland China will mention in their menus that they are using imported whitefish,” Khan said.
“It is also used in fish ‘tikka’, skewers and kebabs in restaurants such as Barbeque Nation, and I have seen this fish being served in a battered and fried form in JW Marriott’s restaurant.”
Pangasius is reigning supreme in a market where sellers might keep high-end fish for the al a carte menu, but in the buffet meals, breaking even becomes impossible unless serving cheaper options, industry insiders said.
This is where the imported fish scores.
“Local fish such as seer and pomfret sell at INR 550 (€7.80/$10.10) per kilogram and INR 700 (€9.90/$12.90) to INR 900 (€12.70/$16.60) respectively,” said Alex Ninan, chief executive of Baby Marine International, a seafood exporting company based in the south Indian city of Kochi. “Whereas Vietnamese basa sells at less than half price of INR 200 (€2.80/$3.70).”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
(vasep.com.vn) Australia is emerging as one of the most stable and promising growth markets for Vietnamese shrimp. Amid global trade disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly conflicts in the Middle East—strengthening and expanding into stable markets like Australia has become increasingly important for Vietnam’s shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports reached over USD 111 million, up 23% compared to the same period in 2025. This result indicates a positive start for the sector, reflecting early signs of demand recovery in multiple markets from the beginning of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s fisheries sector maintained positive growth momentum, with shrimp output exceeding 132 thousand tons. This result contributed to a strong increase in seafood export turnover, despite ongoing volatility in the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in February 2026, with many markets recording sharp increases compared to the same period last year. In February alone, export value reached USD 8.4 million, up 148% year-on-year. Cumulatively, in the first two months of 2026, total tilapia export turnover hit USD 23 million, soaring 242% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In global seafood trade, sensory evaluation is increasingly becoming one of the key “technical barriers” in many importing markets-especially the United States. Issues such as filth, and signs of decomposition/spoilage are often detected through sensory evaluation methods and remain common reasons for seafood import alerts, detentions, or shipment rejections.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn