At the same time, exporting pangasius to China still maintained positive growth rate of 38 - 132% compared to the same period in 2017. Many predictions were made, exporting pangasius to the US may increase at positive double-digit growth compared to the previous year and continue to stand in the position of the second largest export market of Vietnam’s Pangasius export enterprises. However, since the second quarter of 2018, in August 2018, Pangasius exports to the US reached the peak export of the year with the value of nearly 66 million US$, exceeding the exports to China 23.2 million, up 256 % compared to August 2017. In the following months in the fourth quarter, Pangasius exports to the US continued to grow at a high level from 92 to 152% compared to the same period last year.
With a steady increase and bigger growth, up to the end of October 2018, the US market has returned to the No. 1 position of Vietnam Pangasius export. There were three major factors promoting catfish exports to the US market in 2018. First of all, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) issued a preliminary conclusion of the 14th anti-dumping tax review (POR14) for the period from August 1, 2016 to July 31, 2017 for Vietnamese Tra and Basa fish products exported to the US market. These taxes were much lower than the final result of the POR13 review of US$3.87/ kg. Secondly, the fact that FSIS recognized Vietnam's catfish control system equivalently to that same system in the US. Finally, the trade tensions between China and US were also the third opportunity for Vietnamese Pangasius to gain market share from Tilapia into a big importer such as the US.
Currently, Vietnamese pangasius export enterprises continue to wait for the results of the US recognition of the official recognition of Vietnam 's export of Siluriformes fish and fish products into this market.
|
Import of US white fish in 2018 (Thousand USD; Source: ITC) |
|||||
|
HS |
Products |
Oct/2018 |
Jan-Oct/2018 |
Jan-Oct/2017 |
↑↓% |
|
030462 |
Frozen fillets of catfish |
60.239 |
440.107 |
333.920 |
31,80 |
|
030471 |
Frozen fillets of cod |
51.580 |
359.465 |
330.864 |
8,64 |
|
030461 |
Frozen fillets of tilapia |
35.252 |
366.685 |
390.635 |
-6,13 |
|
030472 |
Frozen fillets of haddock |
14.946 |
100.574 |
82.759 |
21,53 |
|
030431 |
Fresh or chilled fillets of tilapia |
14.022 |
143.306 |
152.473 |
-6,01 |
|
030475 |
Frozen fillets of Alaska pollack |
8.544 |
39.283 |
41.700 |
-5,80 |
|
030323 |
Frozen tilapia |
4.793 |
47.172 |
43.449 |
8,57 |
|
030432 |
Fresh or chilled fillets of catfish |
129 |
591 |
2.419 |
-75,57 |
|
Total volume of white fish |
195.105 |
1.585.675 |
1.460.364 |
8,58 |
|
(vasep.com.vn) On November 11, 2026, in Can Tho, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will organize the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029: Opportunities and Headroom for Double-Digit Export Growth.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Business leader Do Ngoc Tai, General Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, was honored by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with the title “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur – Thanh Giong Cup 2026” at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). The event took place on the evening of October 11, 2026, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market is becoming increasingly segmented, not only among producing countries but also by product type and destination market. Supply is divided into groups with distinct competitive advantages: large volumes of whole fish and frozen fillets from Asia, high-value fresh fillets from Latin America, and substantial domestic consumption in several major producing countries.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK grew in the first eight months of 2026, despite signs of slowing import demand in the market. However, sharp fluctuations in orders, competition from major suppliers, and new traceability requirements are creating challenges for Vietnamese exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam is stepping up efforts to combat illegal fishing, protect marine ecosystems, expand digital monitoring, and develop science-based management to ensure the sea can support communities and the economy for generations to come.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The EU remains a critical market for Vietnamese shrimp; however, purchasing demand and import patterns are undergoing notable changes. According to Vietnam Customs data, as of September 15, 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU reached nearly $374 million, down 5% year-over-year and accounting for 10.7% of the country’s total shrimp export value. Meanwhile, the EU’s stotal shrimp imports through July 2026 contracted by 7% in volume, exhibiting divergent trends across Southern Europe, Northwestern Europe and Eastern Europe. These dynamics necessitate that Vietnamese enterprises closely monitor individualized market demand, rather than approaching the EU as a monolithic consumer block.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of surimi and fish cakes remained relatively stable year-over-year compared to 2025. Following a contraction in the initial months, export performance demonstrated improvement from June onward, peaking in August. However, the recovery has been uneven, characterized by divergent trends across major markets: robust growth was recorded in China, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan, whereas export volumes to South Korea, Indonesia, and select European markets contracted.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains one of Dong Thap’s key aquaculture species, with the province focusing on developing an integrated value chain covering seed production, commercial farming, deep processing and by-product utilization. The province is promoting high-tech, circular pangasius farming models featuring reduced water exchange and enhanced biosecurity, aiming to improve production efficiency and strengthen control over raw material quality.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in September 2026 are estimated at US$1.135 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, bringing total exports in the first nine months of the year to US$9.103 billion, up 11.4%. Behind this double-digit growth, however, increasingly divergent market trends are emerging: China–Hong Kong and ASEAN posted strong growth, while the U.S., EU and Japan all recorded declines in September.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Brazil became the largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, with export value reaching US$44 million, up 22,142% year-on-year and accounting for 49% of Vietnam’s total tilapia exports. In August alone, exports to Brazil reached US$4 million. However, behind this remarkable growth is a market that is imposing increasingly stringent requirements on imported supplies.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
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