China dominates the industry but faces growing pressure to diversify markets
China remains the dominant force in the global tilapia industry. The country’s total tilapia supply reached approximately 2.1 million metric tons in 2025. Around 60% of production was exported, equivalent to about 1.1 million metric tons, and exports are expected to increase to 1.15 million metric tons in 2026.
In 2025, Chinese tilapia exports to the United States declined due to reciprocal tariffs and additional duties imposed on Chinese products. This created a market gap that Vietnam successfully leveraged to expand its presence in the US market. Although lower tariff rates in 2026 have facilitated the return of Chinese tilapia to the US, China is gradually shifting away from dependence on a single market toward a broader diversification strategy. Chinese tilapia exporters are actively expanding sales within the RCEP bloc while also viewing the European Union as a promising growth destination.
Brazil: Vietnam’s largest customer and a potential competitor
Brazil is the largest tilapia producer in the Americas, with production reaching approximately 707,500 metric tons in 2025, up nearly 7% from the previous year. While Brazil is currently Vietnam’s largest tilapia export market, accounting for more than 50% of total export value, it is also expanding its domestic production capacity.
The clearest sign of protectionism is Bill 6331/25, which has been approved by the Agriculture Committee of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies. The bill proposes banning tilapia imports to protect domestic producers. It is currently under review by additional committees before being submitted for a full congressional vote.
Egypt focuses on Middle Eastern export markets
Egypt is one of the world’s three largest tilapia producers, with output reaching 1.7 million metric tons in 2024, accounting for 99% of total production in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
According to the Egyptian Food Export Council (FEC), Egypt exported 17,000 metric tons of fresh and chilled tilapia in 2024, valued at USD 9.4 million. The country ranked second globally in this product segment, holding a 20% share of the world market.
The United Arab Emirates is Egypt’s largest export destination, accounting for 61% of export value, followed by Kuwait, Qatar, Tunisia, and Libya. This indicates that Egypt is primarily focused on the Middle East and North Africa and does not directly compete with Vietnam in its traditional export markets. However, if Vietnam seeks to expand its presence in the Middle East, Egypt will be a competitor to watch closely.
As global demand for affordable whitefish continues to grow, competition in the international tilapia market is expected to intensify. Major producers are simultaneously expanding production capacity and strengthening their positions in key markets, creating both challenges and opportunities for Vietnam’s rapidly developing tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As importing markets increasingly focus on biosecurity and traceability, Vietnam has established a relatively comprehensive legal framework and disease management system for aquaculture, covering tilapia farming as well as other cultured species. This system is based on the Law on Animal Health, regulations on the prevention and control of aquatic animal diseases, the National Plan for the Prevention and Control of Major Diseases in Farmed Aquatic Species, and environmental monitoring and early warning programs for aquaculture areas.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On July 9, 2026, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil organized the seminar titled “Sharing Information on Vietnam-Brazil Economic, Trade and Investment Relations in the First Half of 2026” to provide updates on bilateral cooperation and strengthen connections among government agencies, industry associations, and business communities of the two countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports in the first 6 months of the year continued to be a bright spot with a total turnover of 5.7 billion USD, an increase of 11.4% compared to the same period last year. By commodity group, seafood is one of the three groups with a trade balance in the first 6 months of 2026 in a surplus state with 4.13 billion USD, an increase of 17%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) For many years, Vietnam’s seafood industry has been recognized as one of the country’s key export pillars. Products such as shrimp, pangasius, tuna, squid, octopus, and a wide range of other seafood have reached hundreds of markets worldwide. Yet behind these impressive export figures lies a significant challenge: a substantial share of Vietnam’s seafood export value still comes from minimally processed products, contract manufacturing, and raw material exports—segments characterized by low profit margins and high vulnerability to fluctuations in global prices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the context of a global economy shifting powerfully toward green and sustainable values, Vietfish 2026 is far more than just a commercial trade fair. It has become a strategic rendezvous and a "comprehensive ecosystem"—a convergence of value, knowledge, and sustainable growth opportunities for the entire industry chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Colombia continued their strong upward momentum in May 2026. Export value to the market reached USD 4 million, up 24% compared to the same month in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 24 million, an impressive 48% increase year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Hai Phong's aquaculture sector is accelerating the adoption of high technologies in aquaculture to adapt to climate change, with red tilapia and tilapia identified as the key cultured species for priority development.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached nearly US$1.1 billion in June 2026, up 21.0% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first half of 2026 totaled nearly US$5.8 billion, representing a 12.8% increase compared with the same period last year. Exports to China and Hong Kong continued to accelerate, while shipments to the United States rebounded strongly in June. In contrast, exports to the EU, Japan, and the Middle East remained sluggish or recorded slight declines.
(vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is playing an increasingly important role in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, driven not only by growing market opportunities but also by its ability to meet increasingly stringent requirements on quality, food safety, and traceability. In practice, tilapia farming in Vietnam is not a spontaneous or loosely regulated activity; rather, it operates under a comprehensive legal and technical framework covering the entire value chain—from hatcheries and farming to processing and exports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.9 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 12% compared with the same period last year. Amid continued volatility in the global seafood market, this result demonstrates that the shrimp sector has maintained positive growth momentum, supported by improving demand in several Asian markets, particularly China.
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