According to ITC data, Colombia mainly consumes frozen pangasius products (HS code 030424), frozen tilapia HS code 030461, frozen pangasius fillets HS code 030462, etc. In 2023, this South American country consumed nearly USD 50 million of white meat fish, of which the import volume from Vietnam (mainly pangasius) reached nearly 24,000 tons, worth over USD 33 million, accounting for 66% of the market share. Following Vietnam, China, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela are also the largest suppliers of white meat fish to the Colombian market.
Since 2012, Vietnam has continued to be Colombia's primary supplier of white meat fish, according to ITC. Over the course of the previous 11 years, the South American nation has also continued to steadily grow its imports of white meat fish, primarily pangasius, from Vietnam. Colombia consumed more white meat fish products from Vietnam in 2014 than any other country in the race to export white meat fish to this market, with a value of over USD 48 million, or 96% of the market share.
With a value of around USD 45 million, 2022 was also a significant year for Colombia's imports of white meat fish from Vietnam, which made up 90% of all the white flesh fish this nation imported worldwide. One of the reasons Vietnamese pangasius was not appealing to Vietnamese enterprises in 2019 was its poor export price to Colombia. In 2019, the number of companies involved in the export of pangasius to Colombia was typically limited to 4. By the end of May 2024, five years later, 16 Vietnamese companies were exporting pangasius to Colombia. Colombia's economy suffered greatly after COVID-19, with approximately 50% of the population living in poverty, high inflation, and growing living and consumption expenses.
Colombia is the fourth largest economy in Latin America and a leading freshwater aquaculture country in South America with strong tilapia products. However, Colombia has maintained stable imports of frozen pangasius products from Vietnam. With the advantage of being a delicious, nutritious white meat fish, rich in Omega 3, and affordable, pangasius is a popular choice for Colombian consumers. For the past 10 years, Colombian consumers have maintained a diet that includes white meat fish (mainly pangasius) from Vietnam. The high demand has also made importers in this South American country long-term partners of Vietnamese pangasius exporters for over a decade.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Khanh Hoa Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with the Northern Center for Marine Aquaculture Research and the Van Hung Public Service Center, recently organized a training course on disease-free golden pompano seed production. The program is part of a National Agricultural Extension Project aimed at developing industrial-scale seed production models to support sustainable marine aquaculture.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The application of high technology in shrimp farming is delivering positive results in the coastal areas of Vinh Long Province, contributing to improved production efficiency and creating significant potential for further industry expansion. However, to fully capitalize on this potential, the province is focusing on aquaculture zoning, infrastructure investment, and promoting modern, sustainable production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Đồng Tháp Province has intensified efforts to curb illegal fishing by strengthening vessel monitoring, law enforcement and seafood traceability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood businesses need solutions to overcome bottlenecks such as labor shortages, difficulty accessing capital, high input costs, and administrative procedures in order to maintain production, adapt to market fluctuations, and effectively exploit export opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The FTA would widen access to markets with strong demand for premium food products in line with the country’s strategy of shifting exports towards increasing added value.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the morning of July 13th, Mr. Ho Quoc Dung, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Deputy Prime Minister, along with his delegation, visited and worked with businesses in An Giang province to promptly resolve obstacles and promote production and business activities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As importing markets increasingly focus on biosecurity and traceability, Vietnam has established a relatively comprehensive legal framework and disease management system for aquaculture, covering tilapia farming as well as other cultured species. This system is based on the Law on Animal Health, regulations on the prevention and control of aquatic animal diseases, the National Plan for the Prevention and Control of Major Diseases in Farmed Aquatic Species, and environmental monitoring and early warning programs for aquaculture areas.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On July 9, 2026, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil organized the seminar titled “Sharing Information on Vietnam-Brazil Economic, Trade and Investment Relations in the First Half of 2026” to provide updates on bilateral cooperation and strengthen connections among government agencies, industry associations, and business communities of the two countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports in the first 6 months of the year continued to be a bright spot with a total turnover of 5.7 billion USD, an increase of 11.4% compared to the same period last year. By commodity group, seafood is one of the three groups with a trade balance in the first 6 months of 2026 in a surplus state with 4.13 billion USD, an increase of 17%.
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