According to US Department of Commerce statistics, in the first 5 months of 2019, US catfish imports decreased in all suppliers (Vietnam, China, Thailand and Guyana). However, this country imported more pangasius from 2 new suppliers (Spain and Taiwan) compared to the previous quarter. In particular, Vietnam still accounted for 91.6 - 96% of total US imports of pangasius.
According to the International Trade Center (ITC), the US imported frozen tilapia fillets worth US $ 417 million from China in 2018. The second largest supplier was Indonesia, having the import value of around US $ US$41 million. However, since May 10, 2019, when the US officially raised the tax rate on imported seafood products from China from 10% to 25%, the shock of Chinese tilapia exports has slowed down the speed of China.
Tilapia is also the largest competitive product with Vietnam pangasius in the US market. According to statistics of the US Department of Commerce, by the end of June 2019, imports of frozen tilapia (Oreochromis Spp) from China fell by 13% in volume and 16% in value over the same period in 2018; Import of frozen NSPF tilapia from China also dropped by 28% in volume and 27% in value over the same period in 2018.
Businesses hope that the decrease in Chinese tilapia market share in the US shall create opportunities for Vietnam pangasius in this market. Having said that, in QII/2019, the export value of Vietnamese pangasius to the US dropped sharply by nearly 42% over the same period in 2018.
Moreover, according to ITC statistics, in the first 5 months of 2019, the US reduced imports of white meat, which not only Chinese tilapia but also pangasius products from Vietnam. In contrast, this country rose imports of white fish from Norway; Iceland; Canada, Chile, even climbed imports from Russia.
In QII/2019, Vietnamese enterprises exported mainly frozen pangasius fillets and frozen pangasius well trimmed to the US with prices ranging from US$1.01 - US$5.54/kg.
With the current export situation, it is predicted that in the last two quarters, pangasius export to the US market will be likely continue to decline.
(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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