In 2019, the US-China trade war did not bring benefits for Vietnamese enterprises at US market as forecasted. The US continued to impose high antidumping duties. Futhermore, inspection catfish program that list Vietnam as a country eligible to export Siluriformes fish and fish products to the US was released later than the US statement.
Although tilapia imports into the US from China decreased significantly due to high import tax, this did not affect the proportion of pangasius in the country's seafood import structure.
In 2019, the value of pangasius exports to the US decreased in 11 consecutive months compared to the same period in 2018. Many businesses withdrew from this market due to difficulty in exports.
|
Catfish importers of the US, Jan-Nov/2019 |
|||
|
Importers |
Kg |
USD |
|
|
China |
Frozen catfish (Ictalurus) fillets |
3,582,707 |
18,022,730 |
|
Frozen catfish (Ictalurus) |
21,956 |
58,080 |
|
|
Frozen pangasius fillets |
618,588 |
3,002,468 |
|
|
Frozen other catifish (Siluriformes) fillets |
19,731 |
92,793 |
|
|
Chilled catfish (Silurus, Clarias) fillets |
19,731 |
116,580 |
|
|
Total |
4.262.713 |
21,292,651 |
|
|
Taiwan |
Chilled catfish (Silurus, Clarias) fillets |
33,256 |
174,343 |
|
Total |
33,256 |
174,343 |
|
|
Thailand |
Frozen NSPF catfish fillets |
7,140 |
14,832 |
|
Frozen NSPF catfish |
4,182 |
18,947 |
|
|
Total |
11.322 |
33,779 |
|
|
Vietnam |
Frozen pangasius fillets |
48,397,504 |
193,142,334 |
|
Frozen pangasius |
561,448 |
1,596,839 |
|
|
Frozen other catifish (Siluriformes) fillets |
27,104,995 |
106,287,417 |
|
|
Frozen NSPF catfish fillets |
23,950 |
106,128 |
|
|
Frozen NSPF catfish |
22,970 |
64,484 |
|
|
Total |
76,110,867 |
301,197,202 |
|
|
Total (Acummulated in the first 11 months of 2019) |
80,418,158 |
322,697,975 |
|
|
Imports total in 2018 |
121,086,824 |
546,550,622 |
|
|
Source: US Department of Commerce |
|||
Due to the impact of reduced import demand and domestic raw material prices, so the average export price of pangasius to the US market in 2019 also decreased, from US$ 4.73/kg at the beginning of the year to about US $2.85/kg.
About 30 enterprises exported pangasius to the US market in 2019, of which, the three largest enterprises were: VINH HOAN CORP, BIEN DONG SEAFOOD and VD FOOD LTD. At the end of 2019, the US's USDA officially announced the recognition of pangasius management and supervision system of Vietnam equivalent to that of the US, creating better conditions for exporters exports pangasius to the US.
According to the plan of the Food Safety and Inspection Department (FSIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture, in March 2020 (from 2nd -13th), FSIS's Food Safety Inspection Team will conduct the inspection, assessing the food safety and hygiene control system of pangasius farms, processing plants, food safety management agencies in the Mekong Delta. However, due to the complicated spread of the Covid-19 epidemic, the plan was postponed.
Due to the disruption of pangasius exports to Chinese market in the first months of 2020, Vietnam enterprises are working hard to seek and promote exports to new markets. The disease situation is affecting the trade of seafood, but it is also a good opportunity for businesses to enhance exports amid seafood consumption (including pangasius) is increasing sharply in the US as consumers are storing more food to cope with the disease situation.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is easy to farm and provides high economic and nutritional value, making it a sought-after export commodity in many countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in the first 10 months of 2025 recorded significant progress, reaching more than USD 9.5 billion, up 15% year-on-year. This result reflects the sector’s persistent efforts amid a highly volatile market, especially policy shocks from the US Although signs of slowdown emerged in the third quarter due to countervailing taxes, key product groups still maintained strong momentum and created a foundation for full-year exports to reach USD 11 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s agreement with the United States on a framework for reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade—reached during the 2025 ASEAN Summit in Malaysia—has generated strong optimism for Vietnamese exports, including tuna. Numerous positive points in the joint statement have raised high expectations for Vietnamese export goods, but turning these expectations into tangible benefits remains a long and challenging journey.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the conference on “Linking the Production and Consumption Chain of Ca Mau Crab 2025,” Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee Lê Văn Sử posed a central question: how to shift the province’s crab exports toward official trade channels, instead of relying heavily on small-scale border trade with China as currently practiced.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The whitefish market in Japan is showing a clear divergence among supplying countries, in which Vietnam continues to affirm its role as a stable and high-potential exporter. Vietnam currently ranks third after the US and Russia in whitefish export value to Japan. Thanks to tariff incentives and the ability to meet Japan’s strict standards, Vietnamese pangasius continues to record a stable and positive growth trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The People's Committee of Ca Mau Province has just issued a plan to expand the super-intensive, low-water-exchange, biosecure white-leg shrimp farming model (RAS-IMTA) for whiteleg shrimp farming to a scale of 1,500 hectares, aiming to develop high-tech, sustainable and environmentally friendly shrimp farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company (HNX: SGC) plans to issue over 7.1 million shares to raise nearly 465 Billion VND for Hoan Ngoc M&A Deal.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Rabobank, global tilapia production is forecast to exceed 7 million tons in 2025, driven by a strong recovery in major producing countries including China, Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Among them, Vietnam is emerging as a potential tilapia supplier in the global supply chain, capitalizing on market fluctuations to expand production and exports.
By the end of Q3/2025, Vietnam’s seafood industry recorded a clear recovery as a series of leading companies reported strong profits — some even achieving the highest results in their history. After several quarters struggling with high costs and weakened demand, the latest business results indicate a robust comeback across the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On November 12 in Ho Chi Minh City, the Embassy of the Netherlands, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, organized the Vietnam–Netherlands Business Forum under the theme “Shaping the future of sustainable aquaculture in the Mekong Delta.”
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