CPTPP and Brazil Expand Market Share
Compared to 2024, the CPTPP (including Japan, Canada, Mexico, Chile, etc.) posted impressive 35% growth in the first nine months of 2025, reaching $271.4 million and lifting its share to approximately 17% of total export value (up from 14% in 2024). This surge reflects both tariff advantages under the trade pact and rising regional demand for sustainably sourced seafood products.
Brazil continues to stand out as a bright spot in South America with pangasius imports from Vietnam surging 45% to $128 million - a 2% increase in market share to 8% of total exports. Thailand also recorded solid growth of 27%, reaching $58.3 million, supported by recovering domestic consumption and re-exports to ASEAN markets.
Traditional markets ease slightly but retain dominant
In contrast, China - Hong Kong, Vietnam’s largest pangasius market, showed signs of stabilization, reaching $409.8 million in the first nine months of 2025 - a modest 2% decline from the same period in 2024. Nevertheless, it still commands nearly 26% of total export value, remaining the cornerstone of Vietnam’s export structure.
Exports to the United States totaled $257.2 million, representing 16% of total turnover, a 2% decline in share year-on-year. This reflects market saturation, intensifying competition from other whitefish species such as Alaska pollock and cod, alongside ongoing tariff-related headwinds. Meanwhile, the EU maintained a stable 8% share, generating $134.2 million - supported by rising demand for convenience foods and a shift away from Russian supplies.
Notably, the “other markets” cluster (Middle East, South Asia and Africa) recorded $340 million, up 3.6%, reflecting Vietnamese firms’ proactive efforts to diversify and mitigate concentration risk.
Vietnam’s pangasius export landscape in 2025 is thus undergoing a clear rebalancing. Traditional powerhouses like China and the U.S no longer hold absolute dominance; while CPTPP, South America and ASEAN are assuming greater significance. This shift highlights Vietnamese exporters’ adaptability - expanding into new markets while investing in value-added products aligned with global green and sustainable consumption trends.
Given current momentum, industry experts forecast a strong rebound in pangasius exports in Q4/2025, driven by year-end demand and early orders for the 2026 Lunar New Year season. However, rising raw material costs may pressure margins, requiring companies to optimize operations and maintain consistent quality to sustain growth.
(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.
(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).
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