Germany is a big market for fish and fishery products with an annual consumption up to hundreds of tonnes. Frozen fish fillets made up the major part in terms of volume and value. Fish of all varieties and products are getting more popular and are seen as an alternative source of protein and healthy foods.
Imports of fish into Germany were increasing over ten years, but started to slide down since 2012. Imported fish products (HS03) totaled US$4.027 billion, 7.5 percent fewer than those in 2011, mainly due to economic downturn, which has still been weakening Germans’ consumption. The most favourist fishes are Alaska pollock, herring, salmon, tuna and pangasius.
In the first quarter of 2013, Germany sourced 4,877 MT of seafood products from 11 supplying countries, lower than 5,875 MT of the compatible quarter of 2012. It purchased most frozen pangasius fillets from Vietnam with a volume of 4,877 MT, lower than 5,373 MT volume registered a year ago.
Entries of some whitemeat fish species into this market have been on the upward trend. Between January and March 2013, Germany bought 38,018 MT of frozen fillets of Alaska pollock, up from 37,459 MT and 5,831 MT of frozen cod fillets, higher compared to the 5,548 MT registered in January - March 2012.
Pangasius imports declined in the first quarter of 2013 because consumption demand for seafood was still weak, while other whitemeat fish with decreasing prices were fully available in the market. Germany is a price-sensitive market; therefore, consumers are turning to eat other whitemeat fish species, which fell to lower prices. Additionally, whitemeat fish traders are strengthening promotion of their products.
German consumers are currently focusing on seafood quality and price, so they mostly eat products with high prestige and certification of quality. Government also encourages consumers to buy sustainable fish. Most of local retailers put sustainable products into their purchasing policies. Therefore, finding certified-fish producers and suppliers is one of the priorities of German seafdood importers.
The first ASC-certified fish products have been largely promoted by ASC in Europe. However, it must take more time to educate European consumers about the benefits of ASC certification and certified products. Germany is one of the first markets supporting the appearance of these products. Lenk Seafood, a local fish retailer, says that there are still not much people knowing about ASC fish, so sustainably certified-fish products, including pangasius, may see opportunities of development in the market.
|
Top five exporters of frozen fish fillets (HS0304) into Germany, MT |
|||
|
Origin |
January 2013 |
February 2013 |
March 2013 |
|
China |
12,934 |
11,264 |
10,486 |
|
Denmark |
3,501 |
2,742 |
3,012 |
|
The U.S. |
2,930 |
4,042 |
2,884 |
|
The Netherlands |
1,322 |
1,579 |
1,672 |
|
Vietnam |
1,840 |
2,250 |
1,554 |
(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
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn