At the show, Undercurrent reported tilapia production in Mexico outstripped shrimp output by 30,000t last year, as shrimp harvestswere decimated by early mortality syndrome (EMS).
The growth means the government is now pinning hopes on tilapia, which is growing at a fast pace, as the most promising species for the country’s aquaculture.
Tilapia is also buoyed by a strong domestic demand, Alfredo Aranda, general coordinator of operations and institutional strategy at the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (Sagarpa) said during the event.
Mexicans consume some 130,000t of tilapia a year. Mexico’s shrimp harvest fell by 50% year-on-year last year, to just 50,000t, due in a large part to EMS. In contrast, tilapia production rose 6.6% to 80,000t.
To lure domestic customers, however, Mexican growers will have to find ways to compete with much cheaper imports from China.
“Until last year, shrimp was the most important Mexico’s aquaculture species in volumes and value, but due to EMS, tilapia already exceeded shrimp production,” Aranda said.
For next year, tilapia production is expected to reach 87,000t and, with a growth rate of 53.3%, tilapia could total 100,000t by 2016, Aranda said.
Shrimp harvest, on the other hand, is forecast to remain flat at 60,000t in 2014, before increasing to 80,000t in 2016 with a growth rate of just 9.6%. By 2018, harvests are expected to exceed pre-EMS production with volumes projected at 110,000t.
“We aim to recover shrimp volumes but, at the same time, we are betting on tilapia due to its trend in the market,” Aranda said.
Big domestic market
Tilapia has good growth potential in Mexico thanks to the country’s tropical climate, and increase domestic demand.
Its geographic location also makes it ideally poised to export to US. Last year, the US imported record high volumes of tilapia fillets, bringing in 59m pounds (26,761t).
“Mexico produces around 70,000t metric tons of tilapia annually, and it consumes 130,000t, so the potential is there,” Miguel A. Flores from Regal Springs Mexico said during the Aquamar conference.
The rest of the tilapia that Mexico consumes — 60,000t — is currently imported from China.
Competition with China could be a challenge for Mexican growers as tilapia prices from China are about 30% below Mexican prices, which are usually at around $2.5 per kilo of whole fish, Gonzalo Martinez, administration manager at the tilapia farm Tupez, based in Veracruz, told Undercurrent.
“If you export considerable volumes of fillets to the US the business will be profitable, but producing tilapia for Mexico is challenging, as retailers and consumers from the central area of the country would prefer to spend less money on tilapia,” Martinez said.
“However, locals from coastal areas will spend extra money to consume tilapia of quality,” he added.
Another Mexican tilapia player said the fodservice sector and retailers would prefer to buy big volumes from China over local tilapia, due to the price.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 81 million in April 2026, down 6% compared to the same period in 2025. In the first four months of the year, export turnover totaled USD 289 million, down 4.8%. Although the overall export picture has yet to brighten significantly, market trends are becoming increasingly diversified rather than moving in a single direction.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is undergoing strong restructuring starting from the broodstock and fingerling segment in order to improve productivity, quality, and export competitiveness. This is considered a critical foundation for the sustainable development of the industry amid rising production costs and increasingly stringent market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs data, pangasius exports in April 2026 reached USD 206 million, up 18% compared to the same period in 2025 — marking another consecutive month of double-digit growth since the beginning of the year. Cumulative pangasius export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 720 million, up 17% year-on-year, reflecting the positive growth momentum of this key export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the first four months of 2026 maintained positive growth momentum, reaching approximately USD 1.5 billion, up 15% compared to the same period last year. However, behind this result lies diverging trends across markets, as the global shrimp industry continues to face pressure from inflation, high inventories, price competition, and increasing trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Vinh Tuy commune (Kien Giang Province), many shrimp farmers are adopting bottom aeration systems and reporting clear economic benefits, helping increase income and reduce production risks.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of crabs and other crustaceans reached more than USD 93 million, up 23% compared to the same period last year. The result shows that the sector is experiencing a fairly positive recovery, especially in its two key product groups: crabs and swimming crabs. However, behind the growth figures are several concerns: export markets remain highly concentrated, raw material supply is unstable, and trade barriers from the US and EU are becoming increasingly stringent.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Ca Mau province, many farmers are transitioning from traditional methods to high-tech shrimp farming, adopting recirculating systems with minimal water exchange to improve efficiency and reduce risks. In Hung My commune alone, there are about 260 super-intensive shrimp farming households covering more than 265 hectares, playing a key role in local economic development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
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