Frozen pangasius fillets tend to be imported more strongly than fresh/frozen whole fish. Accordingly, this year, this key product line accounted for 86.5% of the total pangasius export value, reaching nearly $1.9 billion, up 79%; value added pangasius products accounted for 1.5%, reaching 32.7 million USD.
The structure of the pangasius import market this year has changed in proportion. Notably, the increasingly important role of the Chinese market. By the end of October, China accounted for nearly 30% of Vietnam's pangasius export value with over 638 million USD. This is also the market with the most breakthrough growth in pangasius imports, up 106%.
The US is still the second largest pangasius importer, but the proportion of this market decreased compared to the previous year. In the first 10 months of 2022, Vietnam pangasius exports to the US accounted for nearly 23%, reaching $491 million. The export growth of 70% was a breakthrough in the first half of the year, when the US economy had not yet absorbed the blow of inflation.
According to statistics of the US Department of Agriculture, in the first 9 months of 2022, the US imported 104.5 thousand tons of frozen pangasius fillets from Vietnam, worth US$445 million, up 24% in volume and 91% in value compared with the same period last year. The average import price of frozen pangasius fillets to the US reached $4.26/kg, up 53%. Compared to other seafood products imported from Vietnam into the US, pangasius has the highest price increase.
Pangasius was the most prosperous export sector in 2022
Recently, the United States Department of Agriculture is asking seafood suppliers to bid for 543,000 pounds of pollock and 154,000 pounds of domestic catfish. This fish stock will be used for the National School Lunch Program and other Federal Food and Nutritional Assistance Programs. Tenders for the supply of catfish were due on November 25. The USDA has given a lot of support to domestic seafood this year to support producers after the COVID-19 crisis devastated the seafood industry.
The EU also recorded an impressive growth in Vietnamese pangasius imports over the past time, up 103% to US$173 million. The strong recovery of the EU has made the EU's market share increase from 7% to 8% of the total export value of Vietnamese pangasius. Key markets in the bloc are the Netherlands, up 72%, Germany up 182% and Belgium up 94%.
An important market in Europe, the UK, although the import value of pangasius still increased by 32% to nearly USD 55 million, but the proportion decreased compared to the previous year. Being in the group of G7 countries, the UK is the slowest recovery market after Covid, and was heavily affected by inflation and the energy and food crisis due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, so the demand for seafood products, even medium or affordable price seafood, also declined.
The CPTPP market still holds the proportion of 13% of Vietnam's pangasius exports with 282 million USD, up 74% over the same period last year. Of which, the weight remains in Mexico and Canada with sales of $92 million and $50 million in the past 10 months, respectively. These two markets both increased imports of Vietnamese pangasius sharply, up 67% and 88% over the same period.
Although the cumulative results in the first 10 months of the year were quite positive, from the end of the third quarter to the fourth quarter, the decline trend in markets was clearly reflected in pangasius export sales. Accordingly, in October, pangasius exports only reached 179 million USD, the lowest level since the Lunar New Year and also the lowest growth since the beginning of the year. There are still many markets that increase pangasius imports, but there are also many markets with a decrease in value such as the US down 11%, Canada down 3%, Colombia down 26%...
Those are signs that inflation is strongly affecting the market demand, which will affect pangasius consumption not only at the end of 2022 but can last until 2023.
However, Vietnam's pangasius export industry is still proud of the record sales of over 2.4 billion USD that will be achieved by the end of 2022.
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain increased by 13% compared to 2024. This growth trend has continued into the first two months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover to this market reached nearly USD 3 million in January–February 2026, up 101% year-on-year and significantly higher than the same period in 2024. This development indicates that Spain is once again becoming a notable destination for Vietnamese tuna amid strong demand for tuna raw materials and products in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
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