Regarding export structure, pangasius under HS code 03 constituted 97% of the total export turnover, reaching USD 130 million, a 20% decrease compared to the same period last year. Specifically, fresh/frozen/dried pangasius (excluding HS code 0304) experienced a 28% decrease, while pangasius under HS code 0304 declined by 18%.
In January 2025, value-added pangasius (HS Code 16) constituted a minor share, generating over USD 3 million, reflecting a modest 3% increase compared to the previous year.
In terms of consumption markets, China and Hong Kong remained the largest consumers of Vietnamese pangasius in the first month of this year. Despite a negative growth of 40% year-on-year, exports to this market still reached over USD 31 million, accounting for 24% of Vietnam's total pangasius exports globally.
In January 2025, the CPTPP bloc surpassed the United States to become the second-largest import market for Vietnamese Pangasius. Although export turnover to this bloc witnessed a 17% decrease compared to January 2024, it still reached USD 21 million. Pangasius exports to Mexico remained the highest within the CPTPP bloc, at over USD 5 million, a 20% decrease compared to the same period.
The United States was the third-largest consumer of Vietnamese pangasius in the first month of the year, after consistently holding the second position behind China & Hong Kong for many years. Pangasius exports to the United States in January 2025 reached USD 18 million, a 2% decrease compared to the same period last year.
Pangasius exports to the EU in January 2025 reached over USD 13 million, a 2% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Within the EU bloc, the Netherlands remained the largest consumer of Vietnamese pangasius, with over USD 3.4 million, a 9% decrease compared to January 2024. In the first month of this year, pangasius exports to Germany recorded positive growth of 57%, with a value of nearly USD 3 million. However, many other EU markets experienced sharp declines, such as Colombia (down 38%), Spain (down 33%), and the United Kingdom (down 30%).
Despite a smaller decrease compared to other markets, the significant decline in the China & Hong Kong market, coupled with a less pronounced decrease in the CPTPP market, led to the United States falling to third place, immediately after the CPTPP bloc. Reasons for the decline in exports and shifts in rankings in the US market may include seasonal factors, as the first month of the year is typically a period following the peak demand of the previous year-end, potentially slowing down production and export activities. Other contributing factors include shifts in global market demand, competition from other supply sources, technical and tariff barriers from import markets, inventory holdings by US importers from the end of 2024, and competition from other whitefish products in the US market.
For more information, please refer to: REPORT ON VIETNAM PANGASIUS SECTOR 2015-2024
(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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