Frozen pangasius fillet product with code HS 0304 was still the main product exported to the UK market, the value in QII/2023 reached more than 15 million USD, down 15% compared to the same period last year. Total pangasius export turnover to the UK in the first 6 months of the year reached 33 million USD, recording a positive growth of 2.9% over the same period last year.
The average price of pangasius exports to the UK in the first 7 months of the year continuously fluctuated but always remained below 3.3 USD/kg. After dropping sharply in June to below 2.7 USD/kg, in July 2023 the price of pangasius exports to this market increased slightly to 2.8 USD/kg. In July 2023, the export volume to the UK reached more than 1.4 thousand tons, down 11% over the same period last year, up 5% over June and up 138% over January this year.
3 main important factors that will impact the consumption potential of the pangasius industry: sustainability, transparency, traceability
At the 2023 International Pangasius Outlook Forum within the framework of VIETFISH 2023, Mr. Arno Willemink - Operations Director of De Heus Vietnam presented 3 main important factors that will impact the consumption potential of the pangasius industry. Future investigations include sustainability, transparency and traceability issues. This trend will take place not only in main markets such as the US or EU but also other potential retail markets. Mr. Willemink said that pangasius at reasonable prices is gradually replacing naturally caught white-fish (if the fishing output remains stable, does not increase over the years).
In the first months of 2023, the UK is one of the few bright spots recording positive growth while most markets reduced imports of Vietnamese pangasius due to world fluctuations.
The biggest challenge for the UK economy and the pangasius export industry to this market is still high inflation
The biggest challenge for the UK economy and the pangasius export industry to this market is still high inflation. External conditions are unfavorable to British economic growth, when economic leaders in the region and the world such as Germany and China are still sluggish "going downhill" to escape the risk of recession; The Russia-Ukraine war and "headwinds" from economic sanctions from major countries are still creating obstacles to British economic growth.
Towards the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the UK and Vietnam. Along with many commemorative activities, it demonstrates the long-term friendship and cooperation between the two countries and affirms that the relationship between the UK and Vietnam is at the highest level with a lot of potential in the coming years. It is expected that new steps in diplomatic relations between the two countries will open up more opportunities for Vietnamese seafood exports in general and pangasius exports in particular to the UK.
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On July 9, 2026, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil organized the seminar titled “Sharing Information on Vietnam-Brazil Economic, Trade and Investment Relations in the First Half of 2026” to provide updates on bilateral cooperation and strengthen connections among government agencies, industry associations, and business communities of the two countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports in the first 6 months of the year continued to be a bright spot with a total turnover of 5.7 billion USD, an increase of 11.4% compared to the same period last year. By commodity group, seafood is one of the three groups with a trade balance in the first 6 months of 2026 in a surplus state with 4.13 billion USD, an increase of 17%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) For many years, Vietnam’s seafood industry has been recognized as one of the country’s key export pillars. Products such as shrimp, pangasius, tuna, squid, octopus, and a wide range of other seafood have reached hundreds of markets worldwide. Yet behind these impressive export figures lies a significant challenge: a substantial share of Vietnam’s seafood export value still comes from minimally processed products, contract manufacturing, and raw material exports—segments characterized by low profit margins and high vulnerability to fluctuations in global prices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the context of a global economy shifting powerfully toward green and sustainable values, Vietfish 2026 is far more than just a commercial trade fair. It has become a strategic rendezvous and a "comprehensive ecosystem"—a convergence of value, knowledge, and sustainable growth opportunities for the entire industry chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Colombia continued their strong upward momentum in May 2026. Export value to the market reached USD 4 million, up 24% compared to the same month in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 24 million, an impressive 48% increase year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Hai Phong's aquaculture sector is accelerating the adoption of high technologies in aquaculture to adapt to climate change, with red tilapia and tilapia identified as the key cultured species for priority development.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached nearly US$1.1 billion in June 2026, up 21.0% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first half of 2026 totaled nearly US$5.8 billion, representing a 12.8% increase compared with the same period last year. Exports to China and Hong Kong continued to accelerate, while shipments to the United States rebounded strongly in June. In contrast, exports to the EU, Japan, and the Middle East remained sluggish or recorded slight declines.
(vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is playing an increasingly important role in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, driven not only by growing market opportunities but also by its ability to meet increasingly stringent requirements on quality, food safety, and traceability. In practice, tilapia farming in Vietnam is not a spontaneous or loosely regulated activity; rather, it operates under a comprehensive legal and technical framework covering the entire value chain—from hatcheries and farming to processing and exports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.9 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 12% compared with the same period last year. Amid continued volatility in the global seafood market, this result demonstrates that the shrimp sector has maintained positive growth momentum, supported by improving demand in several Asian markets, particularly China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On June 16, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province announced that the locality has established a farming area code for nearly 30,400 hectares of mud crab aquaculture and granted export facility codes to five enterprises eligible to export mud crab officially to markets such as China, Cambodia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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