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.
(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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