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) 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?
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
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