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) 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.
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