However, Vietnamese pangasius sales to Mexico are downing. In September, exports decreased by 37 percent to US$4.8 million. This was the second consecutive month reporting drop in value.
Some exporters said that Mexican pagasius imports downed because there were much more domestic-farmed tilapia in this market. Moreover, prices for domestic and imported tilapia products were stable, so local consumers were turning to eat this kind of fish.
Importing tilapia products into the market has increased since May 2013. In the first months of the year, Mexico just purchased a much lower volume of tilapia compared to that of pangasius. However, purchases of these two kinds of fishes were nearly the same since May.
With total of US$78.7 million, China remained the leading supplier of frozen fish fillets of Mexico in terms of value through July 2013, followed by Vietnam with US$69.4 million.
Generally, Mexican consumers like eating more frozen fish than fresh and canned products. So far, per-capita seafood consumption of the country was 9 kilogram per year. Mexico’s governement took measures to enhance per-capita consumption in the next ten years. Currently, the country reports an annual fishery production of 1.7 million MT; 85 percent of which was wild-caught fishes, the rest is aquacultural species. Shrimp, tilapia, tuna are the main wild-caught and farmed species. Tilapia and catfish are also increasingly grown in some states of Mexico.
Mexico plans to undertake a pilot farming program with pangasius seeds from Vietnam, as well as conduct research to assess eventual environmental impacts of pangasius aquaculture on surrounding areas and communities.
Despite downing pangasius exports to Mexico in the last two months, this country has still been a steady market for Vietnamese pangasius with higher exported price compared to those offered by other importers, Vietnamese companies said.
|
Mexican imports of frozen fish fillets (HS code 0304) in 2013, US$ thousand |
||||||||
|
Origin |
January |
February |
March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
Jan - Jul |
|
China |
11,564 |
10,826 |
3,665 |
7,601 |
12,997 |
14,506 |
17,559 |
78,718 |
|
Vietnam |
12,450 |
12,514 |
9,582 |
7,721 |
8,120 |
8,667 |
10,355 |
69,409 |
|
Chile |
3,530 |
5,020 |
3,998 |
2,338 |
6,199 |
5,419 |
6,753 |
33,257 |
|
Indonesia |
14 |
478 |
238 |
464 |
680 |
282 |
790 |
2,946 |
|
Nicaragua |
152 |
164 |
29 |
64 |
48 |
54 |
244 |
755 |
|
Peru |
0 |
202 |
96 |
0 |
100 |
17 |
220 |
635 |
|
The U.S. |
177 |
129 |
342 |
149 |
166 |
197 |
200 |
1,360 |
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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