By the end of March 2020, the export value to China - Hong Kong reached US$ 63.2 million, accounting for 18.9% of the total pangasius export value, down 36.4% over the same period in 2019. However, this is an optimistic export compared to the first days of the year - the time when the outbreak of Covid-19 broke out strongly. Particularly in March 2020, the export value of pangasius to this market reached US$ 34.7 million, up more than 109% compared to January 2020. China - Hong Kong returned to be the largest pangasius importer of Vietnamese enterprises in the first quarter of 2020. It is forecasted that in the second quarter of 2020, pangasius export to this market will recover strongly and increase from 30-40% compared to the same period in 2019.
If exports had not been affected by the disruption in trade transactions, pangasius export value to the US would have been much better than the continuous decrease in 2019. In March 2020 alone, the export value of pangasius to the US reached US$ 23 million, up 26.4% over the same period in 2019. By the end of March 2020, the total export value to this market reached US$61.7 million, accounting for 18.5%, down 13.2% compared to the same period in 2019. Although pangasius export value in the first 3 months of 2020 still fell compared to the same period in 2019, exports in the first months of the year showed a positive reaction from this market. Hopefully in the second quarter, Vietnam's pangasius export value to the US market will surpass a positive growth over the same period in 2019.
As forecasted, from February to March 2020, when Covid-19 disturb the transport, distribution, as well as business activities of EU countries, pangasius export to this market is increasingly affected. clear. By the end of March 2020, pangasius export to the EU reached nearly 36.5 million USD, down 36.5% compared to the same period in 2019. In particular, the export value to the 4 largest single markets in the block (the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Spain) all dropped. The reduction was respectively 31.4%; 30%; 45.3% and 31.4% compared to the same period in 2019. At least until the epidemic situation will be controlled and the export and import activities returned to normal, pangasius exports to this market can stabilize.
Pangasius exports to other major importers in the first 3 months of 2020 such as ASEAN, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Australia still dropped sharply. In particular, pangasius export value to ASEAN declined by 29%; exports to Brazil fell by19%, Mexico slumped by 57.8%, Colombia slashed 12% compared to the same period in 2019.
(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.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in September 2026 are estimated at US$1.135 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, bringing total exports in the first nine months of the year to US$9.103 billion, up 11.4%. Behind this double-digit growth, however, increasingly divergent market trends are emerging: China–Hong Kong and ASEAN posted strong growth, while the U.S., EU and Japan all recorded declines in September.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Brazil became the largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, with export value reaching US$44 million, up 22,142% year-on-year and accounting for 49% of Vietnam’s total tilapia exports. In August alone, exports to Brazil reached US$4 million. However, behind this remarkable growth is a market that is imposing increasingly stringent requirements on imported supplies.
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
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