After the positive growth in the previous 2-3 months, until May 2020, the export value of pangasius to China - Hong Kong and the US fell. In May 2020, export value to China - Hong Kong decreased by 11.3%; export to the US plummeted by 51.2%. Exports to ASEAN and the EU also dropped sharply, respectively 57.6% and 36.2% over the same period in 2019.
As of mid-June 2020, pangasius export value to most major markets in the top 10 major importers declined compared to the same period in 2019, except for Singapore and the UK. These were two importers among the top 10 importers that still maintained positive growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.
China - Hongkong: As of the first half of June 2020, the total export value of pangasius to this market reached US$ 187.9 million, down 15.5% over the same period in 2019. In May and the first half of June 2020, pangasius export value to China - Hong Kong market suddenly leveled off and declined compared to the same period in 2019 as several Chinese ports that closed up importing seafood shipments due to concerns about the risk of Covid-19 infection. Moreover, many supermarkets in Northern China have not sold as before. This has also affected the export price to this market in recent weeks.
The US: The US was still the second-largest exporter of Vietnam pangasius enterprises, accounting for 15.6% of the total pangasius export, reaching US$ 95.5 million (as of the first half of June 2020), down 24.4% % compared to the same period in 2019. The COVID-19 epidemic has a great impact on commercial and business activities in this market. So far, there have been no positive signs of recovery in this market.
EU: Although Vietnam's pangasius export value to the ASEAN market in the first 6 months of 2020 still decreased by 36.6% compared to the same period last year, the negative growth rate showed signs of slowing down. As of the first half of June 2020, the total value of pangasius exports to the EU reached US$ 64.6 million. In particular, pangasius export value to the three largest importers of the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain slumped by 32.7%; 37.1%, and 16.7% respectively over the same period in 2019. Similar to the consumption trend in the US, so far, businesses have not been expecting the export to this market will grow positively like the previous year.
Singapore and the UK: It can be said that these were two special markets during the Covid-19 epidemic, while most of the export value to major importers were affected with negative growth, the export value to these two markets were brighter. As of the first half of June 2020, pangasius export value to Singapore - the second-largest export market of Vietnam pangasius in ASEAN reached US$ 18.5 million, up 5.7% over the same period in 2019. Pangasius export value to the UK market also reached US$ 28.6 million, up 7.1% over the same period in 2019.
It can be said that the overall picture of Vietnamese pangasius exports in the first two quarters of 2020 was not bright due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, pangasius enterprises expect that, from the 3rd quarter of 2020, trade activities will gradually stabilize in some markets, which include the two largest importers (China - Hong Kong and the United States).
(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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