China - Hong Kong
In the first 6 months of 2022, the total value of pangasius exports to China - Hong Kong market reached 427.6 million USD, up 107% over the same period last year. Previously, China's Zero Covid policy made it difficult for imported seafood products during the first four months, including the main supplying countries to this country such as Ecuador, India, Vietnam, and Russia, Norway, Indonesia and the Philippines.
However, recently, China decided to remove the policy of suspending the import of frozen food contaminated with Sars-COV-2 virus after nearly 2 years of implementation. It is forecasted that this will help Vietnam's frozen pangasius exports to this market grow further in the last quarters of the year.
The US
By the end of June 2022, the total value of pangasius exports to the US reached 356.4 million USD, up 111% over the same period last year, accounting for 25% of the total export value. However, in the past 2 months, the growth of pangasius exports to this market has begun to slow down. According to importers, the situation of seafood consumption in general, including pangasius in the US, has shown signs of slowing down. Inflation in the US is at a four-decade high. Essentials are getting more and more expensive. In June 2022, food prices increased by 10.4% year-on-year, which is the largest annual average increase since 1981. According to new data from IRI and 210 Analytics, the price of pangasius in the US is also increasing by about 22%. At chain stores and convenience stores, sales of frozen seafood were negatively affected by rising inflation, but not as seriously as fresh sales. The US seafood warehouse is still full. Therefore, it is possible that in the next quarter, pangasius exports to the US will grow lower than in previous quarters.
CPTPP
The third largest pangasius export market is the CPTPP countries. In the first 6 months of this year, the total export value of pangasius to this market bloc reached 180 million USD, up 66.3% over the same period last year, in which the Mexican market is worth-noticing. This is the largest import market in the bloc with a value of USD 62.4 million, up 68.5%. With this result, the export value of pangasius to Mexico has surpassed Thailand and Brazil (which are considered to be two more potential markets). Global price fluctuations due to the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict have been affecting the Mexican economy. The country's economy remains sluggish and has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. This creates an opportunity for Vietnamese pangasius thanks to increasing demand for importing seafood products with reasonable prices and healthy nutrition of the Mexicans.
Compiled by My Hanh
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain increased by 13% compared to 2024. This growth trend has continued into the first two months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover to this market reached nearly USD 3 million in January–February 2026, up 101% year-on-year and significantly higher than the same period in 2024. This development indicates that Spain is once again becoming a notable destination for Vietnamese tuna amid strong demand for tuna raw materials and products in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
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