Indonesia has introduced its own brand of pangasius in the United Arab Emirates, considered a gateway to sales in the region, said VASEP.
The Indonesian Catfish Industry Association (APCI) in collaboration with the Indonesia Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and SMART-Fish Indonesia launched “Indonesian Pangasius: The Better Choice” branding at the SEAFEX 2018 exhibition in Dubai-UAE. The country also promoted “Indonesian Pangasius” at The Indonesian Expo 2018 and 2019 Hajj and Umrah Exhibition in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, APCI said in a statement on 27 May.
In May, Indonesia completed its first shipment of three containers of pangasius to Saudi Arabia.
Last year, pangasius production in Indonesia rose by 22.2 percent to 391,151 metric tons from 2017, said APCI.
Meanwhile, exports of pangasius from Vietnam to the Middle East have fallen mainly as a result of an import ban imposed by authorities in Saudi Arabia, according to VASEP. Vietnam exported pangasius worth USD 70.8 million (EUR 63.5 million) to Middle East in the first half of 2019, down 8.6 percent year-on-year.
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) in January last year suspended imports of fish, crustaceans, and other products of aquatic animal origin from Vietnam reportedly due to the presence of two diseases in the Southeast Asian nation.
Saudi Arabia also increased trade barriers against pangasius from Vietnam by extending its halal farming requirements to feed and fingerling production facilities, VASEP said, adding that Vietnam's pangasius exporters have complied with the new requirements and are awaiting Saudi Arabia's response in their request to lift the ban.
The U.A.E. became the biggest buyer of pangasius from Vietnam within the Middle East region in the first six months, but the export value Vietnam gained from this market declined 27.9 percent from last year. Sales to other regional markets also fell: Iran was down 57.7 percent year-on-year, Israel was 10.5 percent lower year-on-year, Jordan was down 10 percent, and Lebanon was down 10.9 percent, said VASEP.
The value of the exports to other markets between January and June, however, rose against last year, including Egypt with USD 18 million (EUR 16.2 million), up 4.63 percent; Bahrain USD 14.9 million (EUR 13.4 million), jumping 209.8 percent; and Qatar USD 2.26 million (EUR 2.03 million), up 109.8 percent.
Vietnam is the biggest exporter of pangasius in the world. The country’s pangasius export value hit an all-time high at USD 2.26 billion (EUR 2.03 billion) last year, soaring 26.5 percent from 2017.
(vasep.com.vn) On November 11, 2026, in Can Tho, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will organize the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029: Opportunities and Headroom for Double-Digit Export Growth.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Business leader Do Ngoc Tai, General Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, was honored by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with the title “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur – Thanh Giong Cup 2026” at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). The event took place on the evening of October 11, 2026, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.
(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 - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn