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.
(vasep.com.vn) After slowing in the first months of the year, Vietnam’s tuna exports have shown a clear improvement since June 2026. However, behind September’s double-digit growth lies a notable reality: export value is recovering, but pressures from markets, trade policies, and competition among suppliers remain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius export value reached US$1.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. In September alone, exports totaled US$210 million, an increase of 16%. China, the United States, and Brazil were the three largest markets, accounting for 49% of total export value. While China and Brazil maintained their growth momentum, exports to the US remained below the level recorded in the same period last year.
(vasep.com.vn) On November 11, 2026, in Can Tho, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will organize the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029: Opportunities and Headroom for Double-Digit Export Growth.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Business leader Do Ngoc Tai, General Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, was honored by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with the title “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur – Thanh Giong Cup 2026” at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). The event took place on the evening of October 11, 2026, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market is becoming increasingly segmented, not only among producing countries but also by product type and destination market. Supply is divided into groups with distinct competitive advantages: large volumes of whole fish and frozen fillets from Asia, high-value fresh fillets from Latin America, and substantial domestic consumption in several major producing countries.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK grew in the first eight months of 2026, despite signs of slowing import demand in the market. However, sharp fluctuations in orders, competition from major suppliers, and new traceability requirements are creating challenges for Vietnamese exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam is stepping up efforts to combat illegal fishing, protect marine ecosystems, expand digital monitoring, and develop science-based management to ensure the sea can support communities and the economy for generations to come.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The EU remains a critical market for Vietnamese shrimp; however, purchasing demand and import patterns are undergoing notable changes. According to Vietnam Customs data, as of September 15, 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU reached nearly $374 million, down 5% year-over-year and accounting for 10.7% of the country’s total shrimp export value. Meanwhile, the EU’s stotal shrimp imports through July 2026 contracted by 7% in volume, exhibiting divergent trends across Southern Europe, Northwestern Europe and Eastern Europe. These dynamics necessitate that Vietnamese enterprises closely monitor individualized market demand, rather than approaching the EU as a monolithic consumer block.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of surimi and fish cakes remained relatively stable year-over-year compared to 2025. Following a contraction in the initial months, export performance demonstrated improvement from June onward, peaking in August. However, the recovery has been uneven, characterized by divergent trends across major markets: robust growth was recorded in China, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan, whereas export volumes to South Korea, Indonesia, and select European markets contracted.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains one of Dong Thap’s key aquaculture species, with the province focusing on developing an integrated value chain covering seed production, commercial farming, deep processing and by-product utilization. The province is promoting high-tech, circular pangasius farming models featuring reduced water exchange and enhanced biosecurity, aiming to improve production efficiency and strengthen control over raw material quality.
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