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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a fairly strong upward trend in 2025, Vietnam’s clam exports entered 2026 with a mixed picture: strong growth at the beginning of the year, followed by a slowdown from March onward. According to Vietnam Customs data, Vietnam’s clam export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached more than USD 38 million, up 2% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
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