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) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
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