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) 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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