So far, Vietnamese pangasius products have competed strongly with tilapia products in the U.S. According to ITC, in QI/2016, Vietnam’s pangasius products took up over 19%, while tilapia items accounted for nearly 45% of the total import value of whitefish into the U.S. In addition, pangasius products from Vietnam also had to compete with some other whitefish species such as Cod, Alaska Pollock, or Haddock.
The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s catfish inspection program, which took from Mar 2016, as well as high anti-dumping duty had some impacts on Vietnam’s pangasius exports to this market in QI/2016. In the late February 2016, the export price from Vietnam ranged from US$2.00- 2.05/kg.
On May, 25th 2016, the Senate voted to reverse a controversial change to the USDA’s catfish inspections in the session of the Senate. In an 55-43 vote, the Senate passed catfish inspection rollback by Senator John McCain, who sponsored the Congressional Review Act (CRA).
The resolution heads to the House. If the House passes the measure, President Barack Obama is not expected to veto it. His administration has called the catfish inspection change wasteful and proposed cutting it from the budget.
However, the market share for Vietnamese pangasius in the U.S is still large thanks to stable demand and high import price. In QII/2016, Vietnam pangasius exports to the U.S expect to increase by 10-15% compared to the same period last year.
|
Whitefish imports into the U.S, QI/2016 (Thousand US$) |
|||||
|
No. |
Suppliers |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
QI/2016 |
|
1 |
China |
134,522 |
122,613 |
57,054 |
314,189 |
|
2 |
Vietnam |
33,148 |
37,743 |
26,926 |
97,817 |
|
3 |
Iceland |
6,422 |
8,641 |
6,097 |
21,160 |
|
4 |
Honduras |
6,837 |
6,555 |
6,739 |
20,131 |
|
5 |
Indonesia |
6,806 |
5,559 |
4,414 |
16,779 |
|
6 |
Colombia |
4,257 |
3,991 |
4,463 |
12,711 |
|
7 |
Russia |
4,625 |
1,219 |
5,049 |
10,893 |
|
8 |
Costa Rica |
3,111 |
3,447 |
3,682 |
10,240 |
|
9 |
Norway |
4,237 |
1,125 |
4,207 |
9,569 |
|
10 |
Canada |
3,067 |
3,023 |
2,921 |
9,011 |
|
11 |
Taiwan |
3,271 |
2,482 |
2,181 |
7,934 |
|
12 |
Mexico |
1,663 |
2,988 |
2,669 |
7,320 |
|
13 |
Ecuador |
1,690 |
1,431 |
1,369 |
4,490 |
|
14 |
Thailand |
596 |
581 |
617 |
1,794 |
|
15 |
Brazil |
578 |
510 |
521 |
1,609 |
|
16 |
Peru |
295 |
147 |
335 |
777 |
|
17 |
Myanmar |
241 |
137 |
317 |
695 |
|
18 |
Poland |
176 |
225 |
225 |
626 |
|
19 |
Malaysia |
64 |
219 |
261 |
544 |
|
20 |
Chile |
48 |
264 |
205 |
517 |
Written by Ta Ha
Compiled by Dieu Thuy
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Market fluctuations, rising production costs, and increasingly stringent requirements from export markets are placing growing pressure on the shrimp industry. In response, Vinh Long Province is promoting high-tech shrimp farming integrated with production–consumption value chains to improve efficiency, reduce risks, and enhance the industry's value.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports to Japan posted strong growth in the first half of 2026, while a promising new trend has emerged in the value-added product segment. Notably, Vietnamese tilapia fillets have been exported to Japan for use in sushi and sashimi, creating new opportunities to enhance the value of the industry in one of the world's most demanding seafood markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a relatively sluggish first quarter, Vietnam's exports of fish cakes and surimi showed a clearer recovery in the second quarter, particularly in June. Export value in the first six months of 2026 reached USD 148 million, down 2% year on year. However, the newly imposed 12.5% additional U.S. tariff on Vietnamese goods, intensifying competition in Northeast Asia, and increasingly stringent traceability requirements in the EU are making the outlook for the second half of the year more uncertain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In June 2026, Vietnam's shrimp exports reached nearly USD 458 million, up 24% year-on-year. In the first six months of 2026, export value totaled USD 2.35 billion, an increase of 14.2% compared with the same period last year. Growth was driven mainly by the Chinese market and the strong performance of lobster exports, while shrimp exports continued to face pressure from U.S. tariffs and rising logistics costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program is designed as a specialized B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers, providing opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood exporters, gain the latest market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A project titled "Sustainable Shrimp Industry Governance" has been launched in Ca Mau Province with the aim of supporting the transition of the province's shrimp industry toward higher quality, lower emissions, stronger governance capacity, improved supply chain traceability, and the development of a sustainable shrimp brand that meets the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets.
(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.
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