Pangasius butterfly cut products accounted for only 18% of pangasius imports into China in the first 5 months of 2022, but this year, this figure is up to 31%.
However, the average import price of pangasius butterfly cut products into this market in the first 5 months of 2023 was 19% lower than the same period last year, reaching 1.94USD/kg. Meanwhile, the price of frozen pangasius fillets imported into China was also 15% lower than the same period last year, reaching 2.13 USD/kg.
Large inventories, falling import prices along with a slow recovery in demand are the main factors causing decline in pangasius exports to this market. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, in the first 5 months of 2023, pangasius exports to China decreased by 39% to 217 million USD.
Statistics from China Customs show that in the first 5 months of 2023, China imported nearly 137 thousand tons of pangasius, 16.5% higher than the same period last year
Localities that import the most frozen pangasius fillets include Guangdong, Shandong, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai, and Zhanjiang, accounting for 86% of China's import volume. Guangdong province alone accounts for 35%, while Shandong accounts for 15%. Localities that mostly import pangasius butterfly cuts are Guangdong (accounting for 52%), Shandong (15%), Shanghai (14%), and Hunan (8%). In May 2023, pangasius imports into China reached 24.6 thousand tons, worth nearly 50 million USD, which is a decrease of 27% and 41% respectively compared to the same period last year.
Three years of implementing coronavirus control measures have severely weakened the spending power of many Chinese households. Economic uncertainty has hit China's urban middle class amid falling wages and job cuts in sectors ranging from technology to financial services. The unemployment caused by these circumstances has affected spending by young people, who constitute China's most active consumer demographic, resulting in a 20% unemployment rate within this group.
In this context, the Chinese market will need more time to recover, opening new and brighter opportunities for imported products, including seafood and pangasius. Nevertheless, import demand in this market is expected to improve in the second half of the year as consumers will gradually adapt to the new post-Covid context.
Compiled by Thuy Linh
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(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
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(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.069 billion, up 17.5% compared to the same period in 2025. This is a positive result amid an uneven global shrimp market recovery, intensifying competition among major suppliers, and continued volatility in the international trade environment. However, this growth does not reflect a broad-based recovery across the entire sector, but rather is driven mainly by strong performance in a few markets and specific product segments—most notably lobster exports to China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports continued to decline in March 2026. Cumulatively, in the first three months of the year, export value reached USD 208 million, down 4% compared to the same period in 2025. The export landscape shows clear divergence across markets: while the U.S. and EU remain challenging, markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Egypt, the Philippines, and Mexico have emerged as growth bright spots.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Quang Ngai Province, shrimp farming costs are rising sharply due to लगातार increases in feed, fuel, and input material prices, while farm-gate shrimp prices are declining. This has significantly reduced farmers’ profit margins and increased production risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
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