Export growth in key markets
According to Vietnam Customs, pangasius exports in April 2025 reached nearly USD 175 million, up 4% year-on-year. Cumulatively, the first four months of 2025 saw pangasius exports hit USD 640 million, a 10% increase over the same period last year.
China and Hong Kong remain Vietnam’s largest pangasius buyers. Exports to this market reached over USD 44 million in April, up 7% from April 2024. However, the year-to-date total was slightly down, at USD 149 million, a 2% decline.
The U.S. continued to be the second-largest destination for Vietnamese pangasius despite a 15% drop in April exports to USD 40 million. Total exports to the U.S. for the first four months of 2025 stood at USD 101 million, a modest 2% decrease.
Brazil has maintained its status as a major single-country market, particularly for frozen pangasius fillets. Exports in April reached USD 15 million, a 9% increase, while the year-to-date total surged to USD 63 million—up 67% from the same period last year.
In Europe, exports continued their positive trajectory, up 9% in April to USD 16 million. The Netherlands remains the leading EU market for Vietnamese pangasius, with USD 17 million in exports over the first four months of 2025—a 15% year-on-year increase.
Thailand also posted steady growth. April exports to the market totaled USD 5 million, up 5%, and reached USD 25 million for the January–April period, up 18% year-on-year.
Short-term boost amid tariff uncertainty
Despite the cloud of retaliatory tariffs imposed by the U.S., Vietnamese exporters have taken advantage of a temporary window to push shipments. On April 3, 2025 (Vietnam time), U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on imports from over 180 economies. Vietnam was among those hardest hit, facing a proposed tariff rate of up to 46%, threatening key export sectors—especially seafood.
On April 9, however, Trump announced a 90-day suspension of these tariffs for over 75 countries, including Vietnam. This reprieve is seen as a critical window for bilateral negotiations and the potential to reach a more favorable long-term arrangement. While the pause has relieved short-term pressure, uncertainty still looms over the future trade landscape.
Broader impacts of trade conflict
The long-term effects of a U.S.-led trade war under the “America First” policy are expected to be extensive, impacting global supply chains, input costs, capital flows, inflation, and monetary policies worldwide. Vietnam, with its highly open economy and heavy dependence on exports, is especially vulnerable. Any U.S. tariff shock is likely to have a domino effect across sectors—including seafood and pangasius.
Strategic response and diversification
To avoid being caught off-guard by trade policy shifts, Vietnamese enterprises are being urged to diversify their markets and expand domestic consumption of pangasius. In parallel, investment in other whitefish export products such as tilapia and red tilapia may offer new growth avenues and help reduce exposure to U.S. trade risks.
While pangasius exports may enjoy short-term momentum, navigating the U.S. tariff storm will require strategic adaptation, market diversification, and strengthened domestic value chains to ensure long-term sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2026 marks a period of strong growth for Vietnam’s tilapia industry, but it is also a time when international export competition is becoming increasingly intense. Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 99 million in 2025, up 140% compared to the previous year. In the first four months of 2026 alone, export value reached USD 49 million, a 151% increase year-on-year. As global demand for affordable whitefish continues to rise, Vietnam is emerging as a noteworthy competitor to traditional tilapia powerhouses such as China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With continued policy support, technological innovation and close coordination among authorities, businesses and farmers, Vietnam’s pangasius industry is expected to make a strong and sustainable breakthrough during the 2026–2030 period, reinforcing its position as the world’s leading exporter of the fish.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to Asian markets showed varying trends across regions and countries. The Middle East recorded strong growth, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the largest Asian market for Vietnamese tilapia. ASEAN markets also expanded significantly, driven primarily by Malaysia. Meanwhile, Japan maintained solid growth, while exports to South Korea declined compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp and pangasius continued to lead growth, helping seafood exports reach $4.67 billion in the first five months of the year; however, differentiation among product groups and increasingly stringent requirements from importing markets are posing many challenges for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Every day, the seafood processing industry in Ca Mau generates large quantities of shrimp heads and shells during processing operations. In the past, these by-products were largely treated as waste, increasing production costs and posing potential environmental risks. However, thanks to advanced processing technologies, materials once considered waste are now being transformed into high-value products, creating a circular economy model within the seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam Clean Seafood Corporation has invested in a 280-hectare super-intensive shrimp farming zone in Tran De Commune, Can Tho City, generating export value of approximately VND 3 billion per hectare per year—around 50 times higher than traditional agricultural production.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.02 billion in May 2026, up 0.6% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 4.67 billion, an increase of 11% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In a rapidly changing global seafood market, timely insights and reliable data are more critical than ever. The Report on Vietnam Seafood Exports in Q1/2026 provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in Vietnam’s seafood production, trade performance, and export trends, helping businesses navigate uncertainty and identify new growth opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While many major markets continue to experience slow growth, Russia has emerged as a brighter destination for Vietnamese tuna exports in early 2026. Export turnover to this market increased by nearly 55% in the first four months of the year, indicating a clear improvement in demand. Nevertheless, Russia remains a market that should be viewed with both optimism and caution.
(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.
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