Kevin Fitzsimmons, professor of environmental science at the University of Arizona, told the crowd at the World Tilapia Conference last month the estimated value of tilapia product forms imported to the United States, the world's most valuable tilapia market, will exceed $1 billion by the end of this year.
Combining the $986.1 million in tilapia imports to the United States in 2012, with the estimated $84 million in US-produced farmed tilapia which was sold that year, that mark has essentially already broken, Fitzsimmons said.
In his presentation, Fitzsimmons pointed to several reasons why the consumption of the whitefish has grown, not only in the United States, but throughout the world.
According to Fitzsimmons, the increase of tilapia farming in Mekong, Vietnam; government support and private sector investment in Malaysia; the commercialization of sub-Saharan Africa and the availability of water, labor, land and feed in Brazil have all led to increased production.
Similar to Malaysia, Bangladesh farmers, with the support from their government and private sector investments, are expected to increase production from roughly 100,000 metric tons in 2011, by nearly 20,000 metric tons this year.
Mike Picchietti, president of Americas Tilapia Alliance, told IntraFish the numbers shouldn’t be surprising as the popularity of the fish continues to grow, especially in the United States.
“In general aquaculture is shrinking in this country but tilapia farming is growing exponentially,” he said. “I think tilapia is going to continue to grow everywhere but it’ll depend on the country’s natural resources.”
After announcing the change from the American Tilapia Association to the Americas Tilapia Alliance (ATA) last month, in order to expand the group's focus and international influence, Picchietti said the use of the fish could grow worldwide if the technology to process it is developed.
In the US the cost to produce the fish is double, and three to five times as much to process it than tropical developing countries, he said. Automation has also not worked yet because of the small size of tilapia needs human work.
Marketing live tilapia could also increase the demand for the fish in the region, Picchietti added.
“I could see all the grocery stores and restaurants having live tanks with tilapia in them,” he said. “That’s one of the main goals of the new ATA is to see if we can expand the market and develop trade in the central and south American countries.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports maintained a strong recovery in the first five months of 2026, reaching more than USD 302 million, up 17% compared to the same period in 2025. Growth was primarily driven by Asian markets, including South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and China, while exports to the United States and the European Union continued to face headwinds from cautious consumer demand and increasingly stringent compliance requirements.
Vietnamese seafood giant Minh Phu Group has inaugurated a VND1.5 trillion (US$57.4 million) seafood processing plant in Ca Mau Province.
(vasep.com.vn) From 19–21 August 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the theme "Innovation – Sustainability", Vietfish 2026 continues to serve as Vietnam's flagship annual seafood event, bringing together seafood producers, exporters, importers, buyers, industry experts, government agencies, and stakeholders from across the domestic and global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in May 2026, reaching USD 14 million, up 18% compared with the same month last year. Cumulative export value for the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 62 million, representing a remarkable 101% increase over the same period in 2025, highlighting the sector’s strong recovery in international markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 367 million in the first five months of 2026, down 7% compared to the same period in 2025. While the decline is not yet severe, the more concerning issue is that pressure is mounting in key markets such as the United States and the European Union, just as ocean freight rates are rising sharply on long-haul routes. The current situation is therefore not merely about slower orders, but rather a clear restructuring phase for Vietnam’s tuna industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2026 marks a period of strong growth for Vietnam’s tilapia industry, but it is also a time when international export competition is becoming increasingly intense. Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 99 million in 2025, up 140% compared to the previous year. In the first four months of 2026 alone, export value reached USD 49 million, a 151% increase year-on-year. As global demand for affordable whitefish continues to rise, Vietnam is emerging as a noteworthy competitor to traditional tilapia powerhouses such as China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With continued policy support, technological innovation and close coordination among authorities, businesses and farmers, Vietnam’s pangasius industry is expected to make a strong and sustainable breakthrough during the 2026–2030 period, reinforcing its position as the world’s leading exporter of the fish.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to Asian markets showed varying trends across regions and countries. The Middle East recorded strong growth, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the largest Asian market for Vietnamese tilapia. ASEAN markets also expanded significantly, driven primarily by Malaysia. Meanwhile, Japan maintained solid growth, while exports to South Korea declined compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp and pangasius continued to lead growth, helping seafood exports reach $4.67 billion in the first five months of the year; however, differentiation among product groups and increasingly stringent requirements from importing markets are posing many challenges for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Every day, the seafood processing industry in Ca Mau generates large quantities of shrimp heads and shells during processing operations. In the past, these by-products were largely treated as waste, increasing production costs and posing potential environmental risks. However, thanks to advanced processing technologies, materials once considered waste are now being transformed into high-value products, creating a circular economy model within the seafood industry.
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