In his opening remarks, Mr. Tran Dinh Luan, Director General of the Directorate of Fisheries and the Fisheries Surveillance Department, noted that although Vietnam’s aquaculture sector has achieved considerable production volume, its economic efficiency remains modest due to low selling prices and increasing risks of disease outbreaks. To enhance competitiveness and economic returns, it is essential to diversify both farmed species and farming methods in which Vietnam holds comparative advantages. This approach not only contributes to production restructuring but also aligns with the development orientation of the fisheries sector and the objectives set forth in the Vietnam Fisheries Development Strategy to 2030.
According to Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, Secretary General of VASEP, the United States considers Vietnam a country with strong potential for tilapia exports. As of 2024, the world’s top five tilapia-exporting countries and territories are Indonesia, Colombia, China, Brazil, and Taiwan (China).
The United States is currently among the world’s top five tilapia-importing markets. If the U.S. raises countervailing duties on Chinese seafood products to 245%, it is likely that China will redirect its tilapia either toward domestic consumption or other international markets. This scenario poses multiple challenges for Chinese exporters, including tariff barriers, stricter environmental regulations, and rising production costs.
Additionally, since the beginning of the year, two major tilapia-producing regions in China have mandated that processing facilities serving export markets may only source raw materials from certified farms. Farms lacking certification are prohibited from selling for export purposes. On top of U.S. countervailing duties, this new regulation further pressures China's tilapia export sector.
"Given these developments, tilapia prices are expected to decline in the short term, and Chinese enterprises will likely shift toward other markets, thereby increasing competitive pressure on alternative suppliers, including Vietnam," Mr. Nam commented. However, he emphasized that this situation also presents a significant opportunity for Vietnam to expand its tilapia export market, especially amid tightened Chinese supply.
Mr. Pham Thanh Trung, Deputy General Director of Nong Lam Vina, who has previous experience in tilapia farming and currently supplies feed to farms in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, shared that the greatest challenge facing Vietnamese tilapia farmers today is securing market access.
He urged local authorities, agricultural agencies, and processing enterprises to proactively identify and develop export outlets for tilapia farmers. He stressed the importance of establishing supply chain linkages between farms and processing plants, stating: “If policymakers fail to establish an integrated value chain between farming areas and processors, farmers will be left to sell their products individually and informally.”
In recent times, a number of pioneering enterprises have made initial investments in tilapia farming for export. Although current export volumes remain modest, these efforts have laid the foundation for market expansion and created momentum to boost domestic tilapia production.
At the seminar, participants heard presentations by representatives from the Directorate of Fisheries, VASEP, and tilapia production experts from De Heus. Topics included: the global tilapia market outlook for 2024–2025 and Vietnam’s tilapia export strategy; national policies on planning for tilapia farming and processing; current farming practices and production conditions in Vietnam, along with proposed solutions; as well as reports on local aquaculture development and the potential and strategic direction for tilapia farming.
The seminar provided stakeholders with a comprehensive and practical understanding of the current state of tilapia production and export, paving the way for concrete solutions to promote tilapia farming and export activities. These efforts are expected to contribute to species diversification, increase aquaculture production, and enhance export performance.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain increased by 13% compared to 2024. This growth trend has continued into the first two months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover to this market reached nearly USD 3 million in January–February 2026, up 101% year-on-year and significantly higher than the same period in 2024. This development indicates that Spain is once again becoming a notable destination for Vietnamese tuna amid strong demand for tuna raw materials and products in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
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
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