“The industry has been contracting,” David Harvey, agricultural economist for the US Food and Drug Administration told IntraFish. Statistics show that catfish feed purchases have been consistently declining for the past five years, he said.
The high cost of feed and imports of cheaper catfish and similar species from Asia are making it difficult for catfish farmers to stay competitive, Lowery Aquafarms owner Joey Lowery told IntraFish.
Imports of catfish have grown dramatically in the last eight or nine years, he said.
Over the past year, the National Marine Fisheries Service Office of International Trade reports that Catfish varieties shipped from China to the United States have increased dramatically as well.
As of January, imports of the catfish species ictalurus from China had risen from 585,536 kilograms last year to 857,877 kilograms this year, while imports of pangasius had increased from 968,769 kilograms to 1,499,765 kilograms.
Feed is largely soybean-based, and that helps explain why prices for feed are higher, said Lowrey.
At $13.80 a bushel as of April 30, prices for soybeans were up $0.70 over the previous year. That is more than double the $5.61 price per bushel between 1990 and 1992, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
“Some of these guys got into catfish as a way to make money years ago, and now they’re looking at it as ‘I could just grow soybeans on my land,” Garvey said.
The high cost of feed is compounded by the consistently lower labor costs in China, Lowery said.
“I’ve been in the business 26 years, and I would say feed costs have doubled,” Lowery said.
Lower standards in China make it easier for Chinese producers to keep costs down, which gives them an unfair advantage over US producers, Lowery said.
“From a trade standpoint and from a production standpoint, just about any way you look at it, we’re not on a level playing field. Only two percent of seafood is inspected coming into the country. Less than 1 percent is inspected for chemicals,” Lowery said.
If the price of feed starts to decrease, US farmers will have a better chance to compete, Herarvey said.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Currently, Da Nang City has no fishing vessels detained, sanctioned by foreign authorities, or criminally prosecuted for IUU fishing violations. Patrols, monitoring of marine fishing activities, and handling of violations have been prioritized by competent forces, significantly reducing nearshore fishing infringements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel in the first nine months of 2025 reached just over USD 27 million, down as much as 49% compared to the same period in 2024. This is a steep and prolonged decline for many consecutive months, reflecting changes in import demand as well as shifts in the supply structure of this market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first 700 tons of Vietnamese tilapia ordered and imported by JBS Group will initially be distributed through supermarket chains, the Horeca network and JBS’s product showrooms in Brazil.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In October 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius exports hit $217 million, representing an 8% increase compared to the same month in 2024. For the first 10 months of the year, total export value has surpassed $1.8 billion, up 9% year-on-year. This growth demonstrates clear positive momentum for the pangasius industry, despite continued declines in certain markets.
In recent days, the Central provinces of Vietnam have been suffering from historic flooding, with prolonged heavy rains, landslides, flash floods, and deep inundation causing extremely serious impacts on tens of thousands of households, as well as many VASEP member exporters located in the region. With the spirit of mutual support and solidarity, and in order to promptly assist residents and member exporters in the affected areas to stabilize their lives and restore production activities, VASEP calls on all seafood exporters, organizations, and individuals to extend supports to the people and member exporters in the flood-hit areas. We urge timely and practical material and spiritual contributions to help member exporters and local communities in the severely affected provinces overcome this difficult period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the final days of October 2025, Vietnam’s domestic raw shrimp market remained generally stable, though slight adjustments were recorded in several sizes across key farming regions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 498 million in October 2025, up 26% from the same period last year. This is one of the highest monthly revenues since the beginning of the year, reflecting solid demand in major markets and faster shipment schedules by exporters. From January to October, shrimp export value reached USD 3.9 billion, up 22% compared to the same period in 2024.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 31, 2025, the US Court of International Trade (CIT) officially issued an order to suspend the case filed by the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), the National Restaurant Association (NRA), and several US seafood companies against the US Government concerning the implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) An Giang’s fisheries sector has maintained stable growth momentum during the first nine months of 2025, making an important contribution to the province’s socio-economic development. Despite facing numerous challenges, the province is implementing various measures to enhance production efficiency, expand markets, and promote sustainable fisheries development toward deeper integration into the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius export value in September 2025 reached USD 181 million, up 5% compared to the same period in 2024. The overall trend for the pangasius industry remains positive, with total exports in the first nine months of 2025 reaching nearly USD 1.6 billion, an increase of 9% year-on-year.
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