Breakthrough growth in 2025
In 2025, total tilapia export turnover reached USD 99 million, up 141% compared to the previous year. This momentum has continued into 2026, with exports reaching USD 23 million in just the first two months—an increase of 242% year-on-year.
One key driver of this growth is that Vietnamese companies have effectively capitalized on the period when the United States imposed high tariffs on tilapia from China and Brazil, thereby expanding their presence and market share in the U.S. The rapid growth rate indicates that tilapia is gradually strengthening its position within Vietnam’s seafood export structure, particularly as demand for competitively priced whitefish continues to rise.
Development foundation not yet aligned with growth
However, the current market structure still reveals significant imbalances. Vietnam’s tilapia exports are heavily dependent on two main markets—the United States and Brazil—which together accounted for nearly 70% of total exports in the first months of 2026. This dependence makes the sector vulnerable to fluctuations in trade policies, consumer demand, and competition from other exporting countries.
At the same time, the tilapia supply chain remains underdeveloped. Many stages—from seed production and farming to processing and export—lack strong integration, leading to inefficiencies. In particular, the shortage of internationally certified processing facilities limits value addition, while high logistics costs continue to affect the competitiveness of Vietnamese products in global markets.
Another challenge is the limited level of production autonomy. Seed supply remains unstable, while weather conditions—especially in northern regions—are highly variable, complicating farming activities and increasing risks for producers.
In this context, despite expanding market opportunities, Vietnam’s tilapia sector needs to strengthen its development foundation. Vietnamese enterprises require well-structured, long-term strategies to build a solid base for tilapia products.
Diversifying export markets, improving supply chain integration, enhancing processing capacity, and securing stable seed supply will be key factors in sustaining growth and mitigating risks. At the same time, tilapia products must move toward meeting sustainability standards, improving traceability, and aligning with green consumption trends in global markets. These efforts will help increase product value and strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Vietnamese tilapia. Only by addressing these bottlenecks can the sector transition from rapid growth to sustainable development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the week from April 4th to 10th, 2026, Quang Ngai province intensified its monitoring and law enforcement activities with the determination to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanh Hoa’s shrimp sector is undergoing a strong transformation by accelerating the adoption of high technology, helping to improve productivity, increase profits, and meet market demands. The province currently has about 4,100 hectares of shrimp farming, with output continuing to rise despite stable farming area, mainly due to the shift from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive farming.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang City has fully implemented all recommendations from the European Commission (EC) regarding the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, creating an important foundation for the removal of the “yellow card” in the near future.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Hoa Vang district (Da Nang City), red tilapia farming is demonstrating clear economic efficiency, becoming a promising livelihood that helps many households increase their income. A notable example is the model of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Nam, who operates two red tilapia ponds covering more than 4 hectares, generating stable annual income.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
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