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 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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
(vasep.com.vn) Australia is emerging as one of the most stable and promising growth markets for Vietnamese shrimp. Amid global trade disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly conflicts in the Middle East—strengthening and expanding into stable markets like Australia has become increasingly important for Vietnam’s shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports reached over USD 111 million, up 23% compared to the same period in 2025. This result indicates a positive start for the sector, reflecting early signs of demand recovery in multiple markets from the beginning of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s fisheries sector maintained positive growth momentum, with shrimp output exceeding 132 thousand tons. This result contributed to a strong increase in seafood export turnover, despite ongoing volatility in the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in February 2026, with many markets recording sharp increases compared to the same period last year. In February alone, export value reached USD 8.4 million, up 148% year-on-year. Cumulatively, in the first two months of 2026, total tilapia export turnover hit USD 23 million, soaring 242% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In global seafood trade, sensory evaluation is increasingly becoming one of the key “technical barriers” in many importing markets-especially the United States. Issues such as filth, and signs of decomposition/spoilage are often detected through sensory evaluation methods and remain common reasons for seafood import alerts, detentions, or shipment rejections.
Shrimp has been the most important export product of Vietnam’s seafood industry for many years, typically accounting for 35–45% of the country’s total seafood export value. With a well-developed farming, processing, and export system, Vietnam has become one of the world’s leading shrimp exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, the global food market is facing increasing volatility in logistics costs, energy prices, and supply chains. In the seafood sector, alongside ocean-caught products such as tuna, the surimi-based product group—including fish cakes, crab sticks, fish balls, and other imitation seafood products—has also been affected to some extent by these developments.
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