Japan consuming more pangasius from Vietnam

News 11:12 10/10/2014
(vasep.com.vn) Currently, export to Japan still represented a little part of Vietnam’s total pangasius shipments. The increasing import of pangasius into Japan over the recent years shows that the market is eyeing this kind of fish.

 

Japanese people love eating traditional food like sushi, sashimi, tempura and udon that are mainly processed from seafood such as salmon, tuna and shrimp. Most restaurants in Japan only serve some traditional dishes while marine fish are so popular in the market with a stable supply. Therefore, it would be difficult for pangasius to become one of daily foodstuff of Japanese households.

In contrast, pangasius value-added products, especially the breaded items, have surprisingly attracted many Japanese visitors to Japan Foodex 2013 in early March.

Some Vietnamese exhibitors said that breaded pangasius and other value-added products have great potential in Japan. It is important to speed up national advertising and promotion programs to develop this kind of products in the market.

Japan is buying more pangasius but its purchase of other seafood products dropped in recent years. Through the middle of March 2013, pangasius import from Vietnam valued at US$535,190, 2.76 percent up from the compatible period of 2012, referring to Vietnam Customs.

Fish and fish products are traditionally indispensable in Japanese people’s food culture; the country always has a high seafood demand for its domestic consumption.

However, Japanese purchase is slowing down and even got drop in some groups of fish like frozen fish (HS code 0303), live fish (HS code 0301). Some others, including frozen fish fillets (HS code 0304) reported just a slight rise in import.

According to statistics from the International Trade Center (ITC), frozen fish fillets imported into Japan in 2012 totaled 503,266 MT while they were 491,489 MT in 2011.

Among Japan’s suppliers of frozen fish fillets (HS code 0304) in 2012, the U.S. was the leading one with 117,990 MT, followed by Norway with 65,146 MT. Vietnam only ranked the seventh with 24,930 MT, up from 23,991 MT in 2011.

Of frozen white meat fish fillets imported into Japan, pangasius volume was much lower than other white meat species like Alaska pollock, cod and haddock. It only ranked before tilapia. However, some producing countries have been cutting catch quota of some white meat fish to protect natural stocks; therefore, pangasius may have a chance to gain more market shares to become the leading white meat fish in the Japanese market in terms of volume.

Like the EU and U.S. markets, Japan is seeking for sustainable fish supply. Greenpeace’s market survey said that most Japanese people want to consume fish that are sustainably caught or produced and clearly labeled, so that they can get information about what they buy. With this rising trend, sustainable-labeled pangasius is hoped to have more advantages when entering into Japanese market.

 

Import of seafood (HS code 03) by Japan, MT

HS code

Products

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

0303

Frozen fish

861,680

810,897

832,579

783,189

776,140

0304

Frozen fish fillets

468,878

395,888

445,551

491,489

503,266

0306

Crustacean

278,756

270,815

262,942

263,259

270,921

0307

Mollusk

217,326

222,091

221,871

217,872

211,196

0302

Fresh fish

77,074

79,287

70,204

65,378

72,571

0305

Dried fish

17,748

17,530

18,236

18,895

19,536

0301

Live fish

26,624

21,453

25,192

18,912

14,037

Bạn đang đọc bài viết Japan consuming more pangasius from Vietnam tại chuyên mục News của Hiệp hội VASEP

TIN MỚI CẬP NHẬT

VSS2026: The US$1.7 billion gap and Vietnam’s seafood growth challenge towards 2029

 |  17:41 10/11/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?

Vietnamese tuna bucks the import trend in Germany

 |  08:46 07/11/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.

VSS2026: Seafood exports top USD 10.4 billion in 10 months – how should seafood businesses prepare for 2027?

 |  08:26 05/11/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.

Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026: From market forecasts to answers for 2027–2029 growth

 |  17:17 31/10/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.

Vietnamese seafood affirms its position at the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo 2026

 |  12:42 29/10/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.

Vietnam’s tilapia exports to CPTPP grow strongly but remain small in scale

 |  08:09 28/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.

Five key questions facing the seafood industry to be discussed at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026

 |  14:58 22/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.

Vietnam’s shrimp exports face market volatility at year-end

 |  16:43 21/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.

Vietnam’s seafood industry in 2027–2029: Where will new growth opportunities come from?

 |  14:56 19/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.

Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the middle east recover, but growth remains uneven

 |  16:04 15/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.

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

© Copyright 2020 - Mọi hình thức sao chép phải được sự chấp thuận bằng văn bản của VASEP

DANH MỤC