SUPA project co-funded by the European Union (EU) through the program EU SWITCH-Asia was deployed within 4 years (from April 2013-March 2017) to support pangasius producers and processors in the Mekong Delta.
With the aim of enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnam pangasius industry in the global market, minimizing negative effects to environment and boosting responsible production, in the past 4 years, the project has supported over 50 enterprises, 120 farming areas, 130 households, 12 cooperatives and attracted nearly 3,000 participants in training courses/technical workshops. The project consulted and trained farmers to raise the survival rate, reduce feed cost and negative effects to environment in the process of hatchery and production, contribute to reducing 7-10% of the production cost in hatchery and production. The project also technically supported 33 farming areas and cooperatives to gain international sustainable seafood certification. For processing enterprises, the project helped enhancing their capacity and consulted on resource efficiency and cleaner production (RE-CP) to more than 70 plants which cut down average 18- 20% of electricity consumption, 26-30% of water consumption for each plant. By this way, the project helped to cut down VND 2-5 billion of production cost for each plant and eliminated 21,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually for 54 pangasius processing plants.
Coordinator of the SUPA project Le Xuan Thinh said the project has enabled Vietnamese pangasius export companies to create 20 new products to serve European customers.
Despite having a modern production chain and most breeding areas receiving international certificates and meeting quality criteria of such choosy markets as the EU and the US, Vietnamese pangasius industry still faces the problem of smear campaigns by foreign media, which has been occurring for nearly 10 years in many countries, especially in Europe.
Thinh said the problem persists due to the sector’s slow response. The strong development of social networks also helps the adverse information spread quicker than ever among customers, while mainstream information is not readily available.
Responses in foreign languages, especially in import countries, are still limited, just only in Vietnamese and English, he added.
In fact, the demand for pangasius in Europe remains high. A survey conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 12 European countries unveiled that 86 percent of respondents said they know about pangasius products and one third of them reported to buy this product regularly.
Mag Karim, a WWF representative in Austria, said European customers are willing to pay high prices for sustainable and environmentally-friendly products. Therefore, Vietnamese pangasius sector should further improve quality of products and boost communication campaigns to change the awareness of European consumers, he suggested.
To put an end to the smear campaign of Vietnamese pangasius, the SUPA management board has proposed building a quick information response centre on seafood market in general and pangasius in particular.
Highly appreciating the achievements of the project after 4 years of implementation, representative of VINH HOAN CORP said, thanks to the project, the company has used effectively and saved 7% of electricity, nearly 30% of water and ASC certified pangasius area doubled from the original 70 ha.
At the ceremony, the Organization Board also awarded medals to 23 units who have supported and actively participated in the project.
(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.
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