By the end of April 2021, the total export value of pangasius reached US$489.4 million, up 8.9% over the same period in 2020. Besides the US and China, Brazil and Thailand are two emerging markets. recently with higher-than-expected growth.
In April alone, the export value of pangasius to Brazil increased by 687%, to Thailand by 47% over the same period last year. Accumulated in the first 4 months of 2021, the total value of pangasius exports to Brazil reached 22.3 million USD, Thailand reached 21.2 million USD, up 38.7% and 8.5% respectively over the same period last year. before.
Mr. Truong Dinh Hoe, General Secretary of VASEP, said that pangasius exports recovered because the main markets of the US, China and Europe increased their purchases. "The biggest increase was in exports to the US market thanks to the widely deployed Covid-19 vaccine, so importers increased their purchases to serve the reopening of food services. This is the main channel for fish consumption. In the first four months of this year, the total value of pangasius exports to this market reached US$102 million, up 36.7% over the same period last year," said Mr. Hoe.
Mr. Truong Tien Dung, General Director of Saigon Aquatic product Trading Joint Stock Company (APT), said that his company's export of pangasius and processed products in the first 4 months of the year increased by 10% compared to the same period last year. term 2020.
"This result is achieved thanks to the company actively discussing with customers to produce products suitable for the market instead of focusing on selling products with strong enterprises. Thanks to that, APT has had Orders of value-added products such as: dried fish, fish cakes, cakes with pangasius fillings... have brought better profits than exporting raw materials.These are products that are eaten immediately or put in the oven. Microwave before eating. Not only ordered in the Asian market, dried pangasius - basa - APT's new product is also ordered by European (Netherlands) customers," - Mr. Dung revealed.
Mr. Phan Hoang Duy, Deputy General Director of Can Tho Seafood Import-Export Company (CASEAMEX), also said that since the beginning of the year, the output of pangasius that his company exports to the US market has increased by 1.5 times. compared to the last months of 2020. Export prices also increased significantly because now the price of pangasius raw materials and transportation costs are both high.
According to Ong Hang Van, Deputy General Director of Truong Giang Seafood Joint Stock Company (Sa Dec City, Dong Thap province), in the context of the Covid-19 epidemic, many seafood enterprises have changed their trading methods with partners. Instead of selling at the CIF price for delivery to the port of import, the enterprise switched to signing a contract to sell the goods at the FOB price and deliver the goods at the port of Vietnam.
Mr. Truong Dinh Hoe forecasts that pangasius exports will still grow well in the near future thanks to the control of the epidemic by importing countries. The current problem is that raw materials for processing plants are at risk of shortage because the farming cycle lasts from 7-8 months and production cannot increase rapidly. However, the pangasius industry has more than 60% of raw materials actively raised by enterprises, so they have their contingency plan when the market recovers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2026 marks a period of strong growth for Vietnam’s tilapia industry, but it is also a time when international export competition is becoming increasingly intense. Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 99 million in 2025, up 140% compared to the previous year. In the first four months of 2026 alone, export value reached USD 49 million, a 151% increase year-on-year. As global demand for affordable whitefish continues to rise, Vietnam is emerging as a noteworthy competitor to traditional tilapia powerhouses such as China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With continued policy support, technological innovation and close coordination among authorities, businesses and farmers, Vietnam’s pangasius industry is expected to make a strong and sustainable breakthrough during the 2026–2030 period, reinforcing its position as the world’s leading exporter of the fish.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to Asian markets showed varying trends across regions and countries. The Middle East recorded strong growth, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the largest Asian market for Vietnamese tilapia. ASEAN markets also expanded significantly, driven primarily by Malaysia. Meanwhile, Japan maintained solid growth, while exports to South Korea declined compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp and pangasius continued to lead growth, helping seafood exports reach $4.67 billion in the first five months of the year; however, differentiation among product groups and increasingly stringent requirements from importing markets are posing many challenges for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Every day, the seafood processing industry in Ca Mau generates large quantities of shrimp heads and shells during processing operations. In the past, these by-products were largely treated as waste, increasing production costs and posing potential environmental risks. However, thanks to advanced processing technologies, materials once considered waste are now being transformed into high-value products, creating a circular economy model within the seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam Clean Seafood Corporation has invested in a 280-hectare super-intensive shrimp farming zone in Tran De Commune, Can Tho City, generating export value of approximately VND 3 billion per hectare per year—around 50 times higher than traditional agricultural production.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.02 billion in May 2026, up 0.6% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 4.67 billion, an increase of 11% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In a rapidly changing global seafood market, timely insights and reliable data are more critical than ever. The Report on Vietnam Seafood Exports in Q1/2026 provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in Vietnam’s seafood production, trade performance, and export trends, helping businesses navigate uncertainty and identify new growth opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While many major markets continue to experience slow growth, Russia has emerged as a brighter destination for Vietnamese tuna exports in early 2026. Export turnover to this market increased by nearly 55% in the first four months of the year, indicating a clear improvement in demand. Nevertheless, Russia remains a market that should be viewed with both optimism and caution.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
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