The price increase for Urner Barry quotations of 3-5 oz frozen tilapia fillets was the first jump since the beginning of July. Last week’s closing average price for the item was $2.35 lb about 24 percent higher compared to year ago levels and just shy of the five-year-high price reached in late 2010.
Importers said the summer price hike is a result of higher overseas replacement costs—or the import price per pound. According to Urner Barry’s latest Aquaculture Insider’s Report, overseas replacement costs in June were $2.05 per pound up 10 percent compared to the start of the year and the highest such value since May 2011.
The hike in replacement costs coincides with a 20 percent decline in US tilapia imports that have fallen to 140.9 million lbs; a near 40 million lb difference compared to year ago levels. The steep drop in frozen fillet imports is heavily attributed to a drop in Chinese imports—the top supplier to the US.
For example, YTD US imports of frozen Chinese tilapia fillets are down just over 20 percent to 124.5 million lbs.
According to one major importer, China’s production woes are a result of massive 2012 buying when US importers jumped on a glut of cheap tilapia last summer that drove US imports up 65 percent compared with 2011.
This jump on summer orders saw replacement costs—or the import value per pound—plummet from $1.94/lb in May 2012 to $1.75 in October of that year.
However, this ‘emptying of the ponds’ last year caused demand to exceed supply in 2013 which forced overseas replacement costs soaring 17 percent from $1.75 to the aforementioned $2.05/lb.
At the same time, higher replacement costs were met with increased production costs namely with feed prices. For example, CME Futures Prices for soybean meal are currently 10 percent above levels recorded in January 2011 and importers said these increased costs have pushed Chinese tilapia farmers out of the business, unable to produce under tighter margins.
And even though frozen tilapia fillet imports to the US typically follow a seasonal trend, peaking in January, bottoming out in March and steadily increasing through the remainder of the year. Importers said China’s overall supply base is significantly shorter in 2013 than in years past which is likely to result in less tilapia fillet imports to the US for the remainder of the year.
As the industry rounds out the third quarter, US importers are currently taking buying positions from overseas packers. And as importers head into the latter part of the year, further price hikes may be on the horizon amid China’s decreased production in tandem with a seasonal buying period ahead of the Chinese New Year.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market is becoming increasingly segmented, not only among producing countries but also by product type and destination market. Supply is divided into groups with distinct competitive advantages: large volumes of whole fish and frozen fillets from Asia, high-value fresh fillets from Latin America, and substantial domestic consumption in several major producing countries.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK grew in the first eight months of 2026, despite signs of slowing import demand in the market. However, sharp fluctuations in orders, competition from major suppliers, and new traceability requirements are creating challenges for Vietnamese exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam is stepping up efforts to combat illegal fishing, protect marine ecosystems, expand digital monitoring, and develop science-based management to ensure the sea can support communities and the economy for generations to come.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The EU remains a critical market for Vietnamese shrimp; however, purchasing demand and import patterns are undergoing notable changes. According to Vietnam Customs data, as of September 15, 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU reached nearly $374 million, down 5% year-over-year and accounting for 10.7% of the country’s total shrimp export value. Meanwhile, the EU’s stotal shrimp imports through July 2026 contracted by 7% in volume, exhibiting divergent trends across Southern Europe, Northwestern Europe and Eastern Europe. These dynamics necessitate that Vietnamese enterprises closely monitor individualized market demand, rather than approaching the EU as a monolithic consumer block.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of surimi and fish cakes remained relatively stable year-over-year compared to 2025. Following a contraction in the initial months, export performance demonstrated improvement from June onward, peaking in August. However, the recovery has been uneven, characterized by divergent trends across major markets: robust growth was recorded in China, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan, whereas export volumes to South Korea, Indonesia, and select European markets contracted.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains one of Dong Thap’s key aquaculture species, with the province focusing on developing an integrated value chain covering seed production, commercial farming, deep processing and by-product utilization. The province is promoting high-tech, circular pangasius farming models featuring reduced water exchange and enhanced biosecurity, aiming to improve production efficiency and strengthen control over raw material quality.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in September 2026 are estimated at US$1.135 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, bringing total exports in the first nine months of the year to US$9.103 billion, up 11.4%. Behind this double-digit growth, however, increasingly divergent market trends are emerging: China–Hong Kong and ASEAN posted strong growth, while the U.S., EU and Japan all recorded declines in September.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Brazil became the largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, with export value reaching US$44 million, up 22,142% year-on-year and accounting for 49% of Vietnam’s total tilapia exports. In August alone, exports to Brazil reached US$4 million. However, behind this remarkable growth is a market that is imposing increasingly stringent requirements on imported supplies.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports sustained their upward trajectory in August 2026, though the pace remained modest at just 2%. The month saw divergent trends across key markets: the US maintained its leading position, Japan and Canada improved, Russia surged and the EU continued to experience a steep downturn. These developments suggest that exporters are entering the final months of the year amid a market environment marked by greater uncertainty.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Congalsa has acquired the entire charter capital of Lenger Seafood Vietnam, giving it full ownership of the business and its Nam Dinh processing facility.
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