Vietnam pangasius fillets marinated with pepper and spices
Export is still need improvement
Before that, at the end of 2020, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) forecasts that the growth of the pangasius industry this year will be 5% with the export value at 1.6 billion USD. To achieve this goal, there are 4 issues that the pangasius industry needs to solve, including efforts to remove difficulties with the Chinese market, anti-dumping tax in the US market, increasing production of value added products and developing the domestic market to reduce dependence on exports.
According to pangasius production, processing and trading enterprises, in 2020, the Covid-19 epidemic severely affected exports, raw pangasius’ price in the Mekong Delta dropped from 26,500 VND/kg in March 2019 to 18,500 - 18,800 VND/kg in June 2020, by the end of 2020 it gradually inched up to 21,000 - 21,500 VND/kg and has been stablizing until now.
Mr. Truong Tien Dung, General Director of Saigon Aquatic Products Trading Joint Stock Company (APT), said "In 2020, exports declined dramatically, especially at the end of the year, export to China was congested. This year, exports to China have resumed normal, orders from the US and European markets have also increased".
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Kich, Chairman and General Director of Cafatex Corporation (Hau Giang), the situation of the pangasius industry this year is very unpredictable due to uncertain factors. Firstly, the Covid-19 epidemic in import markets remains complicated, and exports depend on pandemic control. Secondly, China, the leading market for pangasius imports, is not stable in terms of demand, and recently there is the problem in controlling Covid-19 epidemic for imported frozen goods.
Strive to conquer domestic customers
There was a large amount of export output that brought in billions of dollars in recent years, but in the domestic market, consumption of pangasius is still modest. In recent years, in order to pave the way for pangasius to return to the "home yard", businesses have organized many programs and activities to introduce processed pangasius products to consumers, typically pangasius buffet program. Along with that, businesses are diligent in researching and developing many preliminary processed and refined products from this nutritious and healthy fish.
"Products from pangasius are quite diversified, in addition to fillets, sliced, cleaned whole fish, fish can also be dried and refined ... serving both domestic and export markets. Dried pangasius products and dried basa fish have been positively received by the domestic market, especially during the flood and storm months in the Central region and after Lunar New Year "- APT General Director stated and added that dried basa fish and some products as well as the company's dried freshwater fish are produced under a closed process in a modern factory and exported to Europe, being vacuum preserved and branded as the company, so they are consumed well.
Mr. Pham Duc Cuong, co-founder of Uni-Sea Co., Ltd. (Hanoi) - specializing in basa fillets marinated with pepper sauce, said that after 10 years of researching on how to deodorize fish, he decided to choose basa fish for commercialization. "Basa fish has an export background, so the quality management process is very good, meeting the requirements of the most demanding markets in the world but the price is moderate, so there is a large ability to increase the value.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first six months of 2026 indicate that Vietnam’s tilapia industry is entering a new phase of development, with strong export growth but also greater demands for production scale, quality and international competitiveness.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Fishermen in Ha Tinh are gradually overcoming difficulties to maintain the efficiency of seafood exploitation. In the first six months of 2026, the entire province achieved a production of more than 23,000 tons of seafood, worth more than 1,200 billion VND.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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