According to Seafood Guide, pangasius sales in China increased sharply during the recent New Year holiday, a positive sign for sales during the Lunar New Year holiday in early February.
Before the new year, Chinese consumer spending increased sharply, leading to enterprises stocking up pangasius to secure supply.
Chinese distributors said market demand has begun to increase since the New Year holiday. Currently, they are prioritizing the import of stockpiled goods rather than releasing existing inventory.
Vietnam, the world's largest producer of pangasius, exported over 700 containers of fish to China in December. Each contained 25 tons of frozen and butterfly-cut fillets. Vietnam's total pangasius exports to China amounted to more than 8,600 containers.
According to data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, pangasius exports to China and Hong Kong in the first 11 months of 2023 reached 529 million USD, down 21% over the same period last year. However, in November alone, turnover recovered strongly by 28% to 39 million USD.
Approaching the end of the year, China tends to increase imports of Vietnamese pangasius to serve the year-end holidays. According to data from Vietnam Customs, pangasius export turnover grew continuously for three consecutive months in September, October and November. In particular, the main export product to this market is frozen whole round pangasius and frozen pangasius fillets.
"These positive signals from the Chinese economy, increased orders, especially the strengthening of bilateral relations between Vietnam and China give reason to be optimistic about Vietnam's pangasius exports to China in the near future" VASEP commented.
Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development forecasts that pangasius output in 2024 increases by 2.8% compared to 2023; The output harvested in the first and second quarters of 2024 still meets the demand for processing and export.
Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien set the target of total pangasius export turnover in 2024 at 2 billion USD, higher than the estimated figure of 2023 of 1.8 billion USD.
Seafood Guide quoted Mr. Chen Xindong, General Director of Octogone, saying that market demand is shifting to more high-end products.
As of January 1, Vietnam’s pangasius farming regions quoted raw material prices as stable at about 26,000 VND/kg (1.07 USD/kg), equivalent to the end of December.
A Chinese distributor forecasts that wholesale prices and raw material prices will continue to increase due to high demand during the Lunar New Year in early February.
According to Vietnambiz
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Every day, the seafood processing industry in Ca Mau generates large quantities of shrimp heads and shells during processing operations. In the past, these by-products were largely treated as waste, increasing production costs and posing potential environmental risks. However, thanks to advanced processing technologies, materials once considered waste are now being transformed into high-value products, creating a circular economy model within the seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam Clean Seafood Corporation has invested in a 280-hectare super-intensive shrimp farming zone in Tran De Commune, Can Tho City, generating export value of approximately VND 3 billion per hectare per year—around 50 times higher than traditional agricultural production.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.02 billion in May 2026, up 0.6% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 4.67 billion, an increase of 11% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In a rapidly changing global seafood market, timely insights and reliable data are more critical than ever. The Report on Vietnam Seafood Exports in Q1/2026 provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in Vietnam’s seafood production, trade performance, and export trends, helping businesses navigate uncertainty and identify new growth opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While many major markets continue to experience slow growth, Russia has emerged as a brighter destination for Vietnamese tuna exports in early 2026. Export turnover to this market increased by nearly 55% in the first four months of the year, indicating a clear improvement in demand. Nevertheless, Russia remains a market that should be viewed with both optimism and caution.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 49 million, up 151% compared to the same period in 2025. This impressive growth reflects positive momentum in the tilapia sector, with Brazil emerging as a key driver of growth, while frozen tilapia fillets continued to be the industry's leading export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK have shown positive signs in the first months of 2026. While the UK’s overall tuna imports from the world declined, imports from Vietnam increased strongly, indicating that there is still room for Vietnam to expand its market share. However, behind this growth, competitive pressure remains intense, especially as the UK continues to be a major market for established suppliers such as Ecuador, Mauritius, and Ghana.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Biofloc technology is being piloted in several rice–shrimp farming models in Ca Mau Province, showing initial positive results in controlling pond environments, improving shrimp seed quality, and supporting sustainable aquaculture development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first four months of 2026, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia together contributed USD 108 million to Vietnam’s pangasius exports, accounting for around 15% of the industry’s total export turnover. Amid tightening global whitefish supply and slowing demand in several traditional markets, Latin America is increasingly becoming an important expansion destination for the sector.
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