Some European importers said that the price for raw pangasius has been falling down as the market saw full supply of other whitemeat fishes, which drove prices to a lower level. Additionally, negative allegation and bad rumors about pangasius has been running through the market, affecting consumers’ confidence on Vietnamese pangasius.
The Netherlands is Vietnam’s second biggest pangasius importer in the EU, after Spain. According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, exports to this country valued at US$31.3 million in the first half of 2013, 18.8 percent down from those in the same time of 2012. This was the deepest fall among the EU’s four leading markets of pangasius.
With a volume of 62,556 MT, frozen fish (HS code 0303) made up the major part in Dutch imports of seafood products, according to statistics by International Trade Center (ITC). It was followed by frozen fish fillets (HS code 0304) with 39,645 MT. The rest was fresh fish, mollusk and dried products.
In 2012, among frozen fish fillets (HS code 0304), frozen pangasius fillets were the most imported products into the Netherlands with a volume of 20,910 MT. Frozen Alaska pollock fillets ranked second with 13,906 MT followed by frozen cod fillets with 11,666 MT.
In the first quarter of 2013 cod, passed pangasius to be the leading fish in the Netherlands because the country strengthened imports of cod reducing pangasius volume. During this period, Dutch buyers sourced 9,509 MT of frozen cod fillets, compared to 6,418 MT registered in the same period of last year. Purchase of frozen pangasius fillets and frozen Alaska pollock fillets were 4,931 MT and 3,302 MT, compared to 5,213 MT and 4,124 MT reported in Q.I/2012.
Dutch imports of cod’s products, rose mainly because there were a larger cod production which caused a decreasing price. This trend partly impacted the selling prices of other whitemeat fish species and pangasius in particular. Furthermore, high supply and lower prices would make cod products the first choice of importers, especially when cod was a traditional and favourist fish for Dutch consumers.
In Q.I/2013, the Netherlands imported 39,645 MT of frozen fish fillets (HS code 0304), compared to 38,031 MT in Q.I/2012; 6,874 MT of which came from Iceland, up from 4,977 MT registered a year ago. Vietnam was the second supplier of the Netherlands with 5,086 MT, decreasing from 5,385 MT in Q.I/2012.
In 2012, there were 124,126 MT of frozen fish fillets imported into Dutch market, 16 percent less than those of the previous year. Imports from main suppliers - including Vietnam, China and Norway - plummeted. Vietnam was the biggest supplier with a volume of 21,355 MT of fish, down 20.4 percent; China ranked second with 16,547 MT, down 20.5 percent; and then Norway with 11,730 MT, down nearly 25 percent.
European countries are predicted not to go out of economic crisis in the current year; therefore Dutch buyers are finding new sources of alternative fish with high quality and reasonable price to serve their consumption demand, compensating short supply of some white meat fish species forecasted to last until the end of 2013. In this situation, pangasius may be the first choice of local consumers among imported fish products.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
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