China – the U.S
These are the two largest importing markets of Vietnamese pangasius in the last 3 years and are frequently replaced by each other in the leading position. In the past two years, the export value of Vietnamese pangasius to China rocketed, many pangasius export companies rushed to this market. As a result, China replaced the U.S to rank the 1st in the top 10 markets of Vietnam pangasius.
In the first eight months of this year, the export value of Vietnamese pangasius to China - Hong Kong reached US$332.5 million, up 34.4% over the same period last year and accounted for 23.5% of total exports. However, since June 2018, the speed of exports to this market tended to decrease. The US-China trade war made many pangasius enterprises see the opportunity to promote exports to the U.S.
With the U.S market, by the end of August 2015, the export value of pangasius to this market reached US$321.2 million, up 34.2% over the same period last year and stayed as the second largest importing market of Vietnam (behind China - Hong Kong). However, with a more positive expected export growth in QIV/2018, the U.S returned to the leading position. Since June 2018, when pangasius enterprises decreased their attention to the Chinese market, the export value of pangasius to the U.S increased with an average export value of US$50 - 66 million per month. In particular, in August 2018, the export value of pangasius to the U.S reached US$65.9 million, up 256% over the same period in 2017.
The EU
Notably, from June 2018, the export value of pangasius to the EU began to increase gradually with the average monthly export value from US$21-25 million. This is a good signal after 3 consecutive years of exporting pangasius to this market faced difficulties. After many times being smeared in some big export markets in Europe, the export value of pangasius to this market has fallen sharply, especially for the whole of 2017. By the end of Aug 2018, the export value to the UK market decreased by 5.5% over the same period last year, while that to other three large single market in the block including the Netherlands, Germany and Italy increased by 37%; 0.5% and 75.5%, respectively. It is forecasted that this positive growth will continue until the end of 2018. In the first eight months of this year, the total export value of pangasius to the EU reached US$160.1 million, up 15.4% over the same period before.
ASEAN
In 2018, pangasius exports to ASEAN market were stable, even quite good. By the end of August, the total export value hit US$129.3 million, an increase of 41.9% over the same period of 2017. Of these, sales to the three largest importing markets including Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines rose by 43.6%; 26.7% and 43.6% respectively over the same period last year. Especially, this year, the export value to the two potential markets in the ASEAN market (Singapore and the Philippines) increased continuously.
Mexico - Brazil
In 2017, pangasius exports to these two markets had offset the decline in some major export markets, but this year, exports to Mexico and Brazil decreased. In August, the value of pangasius exports to Mexico decreased by 22.5%; to Brazil by 27.3% compared with August 2017. By the end of August, the total export value to these two markets decreased by 8.1% and 30.8%, respectively, over the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On July 9, 2026, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil organized the seminar titled “Sharing Information on Vietnam-Brazil Economic, Trade and Investment Relations in the First Half of 2026” to provide updates on bilateral cooperation and strengthen connections among government agencies, industry associations, and business communities of the two countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports in the first 6 months of the year continued to be a bright spot with a total turnover of 5.7 billion USD, an increase of 11.4% compared to the same period last year. By commodity group, seafood is one of the three groups with a trade balance in the first 6 months of 2026 in a surplus state with 4.13 billion USD, an increase of 17%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) For many years, Vietnam’s seafood industry has been recognized as one of the country’s key export pillars. Products such as shrimp, pangasius, tuna, squid, octopus, and a wide range of other seafood have reached hundreds of markets worldwide. Yet behind these impressive export figures lies a significant challenge: a substantial share of Vietnam’s seafood export value still comes from minimally processed products, contract manufacturing, and raw material exports—segments characterized by low profit margins and high vulnerability to fluctuations in global prices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the context of a global economy shifting powerfully toward green and sustainable values, Vietfish 2026 is far more than just a commercial trade fair. It has become a strategic rendezvous and a "comprehensive ecosystem"—a convergence of value, knowledge, and sustainable growth opportunities for the entire industry chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Colombia continued their strong upward momentum in May 2026. Export value to the market reached USD 4 million, up 24% compared to the same month in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 24 million, an impressive 48% increase year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Hai Phong's aquaculture sector is accelerating the adoption of high technologies in aquaculture to adapt to climate change, with red tilapia and tilapia identified as the key cultured species for priority development.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached nearly US$1.1 billion in June 2026, up 21.0% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first half of 2026 totaled nearly US$5.8 billion, representing a 12.8% increase compared with the same period last year. Exports to China and Hong Kong continued to accelerate, while shipments to the United States rebounded strongly in June. In contrast, exports to the EU, Japan, and the Middle East remained sluggish or recorded slight declines.
(vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is playing an increasingly important role in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, driven not only by growing market opportunities but also by its ability to meet increasingly stringent requirements on quality, food safety, and traceability. In practice, tilapia farming in Vietnam is not a spontaneous or loosely regulated activity; rather, it operates under a comprehensive legal and technical framework covering the entire value chain—from hatcheries and farming to processing and exports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.9 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 12% compared with the same period last year. Amid continued volatility in the global seafood market, this result demonstrates that the shrimp sector has maintained positive growth momentum, supported by improving demand in several Asian markets, particularly China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On June 16, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province announced that the locality has established a farming area code for nearly 30,400 hectares of mud crab aquaculture and granted export facility codes to five enterprises eligible to export mud crab officially to markets such as China, Cambodia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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