Great potential, ample room for growth
Speaking at the forum, Mr. Nhu Van Can, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Surveillance, highlighted Vietnam’s advantages in developing tilapia thanks to its extensive river systems, reservoirs and vast freshwater-brackish water aquaculture areas. The country currently boasts over 400,000 hectares of freshwater aquaculture land and more than 7,000 reservoirs and hydroelectric lakes, sufficient for establishing large-scale commercial production zones.
According to Mr. Can, tilapia offers strengths in adaptability, reasonable farming costs and high nutritional value, suiting various consumer segments. In the first eight months of 2025, tilapia exports reached $63.3 million, far exceeding the full-year 2024 target of $23 million. “This is a positive signal but the industry must invest systematically in breeds, technology, processing and branding,” he emphasized.
In Hai Phong, efforts to digitize farming zones and assign traceability codes are underway, targeting export standards. Ms. Pham Thi Dao, Deputy Director of the Hai Phong Department of Agriculture and Environment, stated that the locality is positioning tilapia as a key product in its green economy strategy. High-tech farming models such as Biofloc and HDPE cage farming have boosted productivity by 25-30% compared to traditional ponds, while reducing water pollution.
Sustainable development toward a value chain
Vietnam currently has over 40,000 hectares of specialized tilapia farming and 300,000 hectares of polyculture with annual output around 316,000 tons. The infrastructure is maturing, including 300 hatcheries, 80 feed mills and 510 export-standard processing facilities. Major enterprises such as Nam Viet, Viet Nhat, Xuyen Viet and De Heus are integrating production-processing chains, expanding Vietnam’s tilapia market share globally.
However, the sector still faces high production costs, small-scale operations, inconsistent breed quality and weak value-chain linkages. Exports remain concentrated in the U.S and Europe, leaving the industry vulnerable to market fluctuations.
The Directorate of Fisheries identifies tilapia development not merely as a matter of increasing output but for a sustainable value chain linking farmers, enterprises and scientists. By 2030, the target is 400,000 tons of production and $100 million in export value, establishing a national brand “Vietnamese tilapia”.
Key strategies include: planning concentrated farming zones with synchronized infrastructure, developing new-generation breeds (G4), applying Biofloc and RAS technologies, investing in deep processing, diversifying markets and promoting VietGAP, ASC certifications and traceability.
Green pathways and new opportunities
At the forum, the Institute of Aquaculture Research No.1 introduced G4 tilapia breeds with 10% faster growth and 26% higher fillet rates than imported varieties. De Heus Group presented nutritional solutions to cut production costs, while the U.S Soybean Export Council (USSEC) recommended developing tilapia via green, transparent, sustainable supply chains.
Experts view tilapia as the “new spearhead spieces” following the success of pangasius and shrimp, diversifying exports, stabilizing rural livelihoods and advancing the green economy.
Mr. Nhu Van Can affirmed: “If we succeed in improving breeding, technology, production organization and markets, Vietnam can absolutely transform tilapia into a new flagship product, positively contributing to sustainable fisheries development.”
The forum is expected to spark a turning point, helping Vietnam’s fisheries shape a modern, efficient, eco-friendly tilapia industry, positioning it as a strategic export product in the coming years.
(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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