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) 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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Aquaculture, capture fisheries, and seed production activities in Lam Dong in the early months of 2026 continued to show positive signs, with both output and farming area slightly increasing compared to the same period, contributing to maintaining overall industry stability.
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