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

Vietnam and Brazil Strengthen Economic Ties, VASEP Promotes Seafood Trade Cooperation

 |  18:00 10/07/2026

(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 exports overcome challenges, impressive growth

 |  09:07 09/07/2026

(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%.

Escaping the low-value raw export trap: Vietnam’s seafood industry embarks on a billion-dollar transformation

 |  08:18 07/07/2026

(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.

Vietfish 2026: The Comprehensive Ecosystem of Vietnam’s Seafood Industry

 |  15:21 05/07/2026

(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.

Vietnamese pangasius posts strong growth in the Colombian market

 |  08:23 04/07/2026

(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.

Hai Phong promotes high-tech farming of red tilapia and tilapia

 |  08:56 02/07/2026

(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.

Vietnam’s seafood exports reach US$5.8 billion in H1 2026: Growth maintained despite mounting cost, market, and logistics pressures

 |  09:26 30/06/2026

(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.

Vietnam’s tilapia industry strengthens management and food safety standards

 |  09:08 29/06/2026

(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.

Shrimp exports in the first five months: China drives growth while the U.S. remains under pressure

 |  08:59 26/06/2026

(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.

Ca Mau mud crab expands official export channels to international markets

 |  09:16 23/06/2026

(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).

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