Malaysia was also the third largest importer of Vietnam pangasius among ASEAN markets. To 15th October, pangasius export to this destination reached US$17.1 million, a rise of 2.6 percent over the same period of 2011.
Malaysia has now 28 million of people and the market tends to increase seafood import to satisfy rising domestic consumption demand.
This year, South East Asian countries are under pressures of global economic crisis, but Malaysia is seen as a stable market. Its import of seafood products continues to grow in the coming time.
Crustaceans (HS code 0306) were the main import items of Malaysia. This is followed by frozen fish (HS code 0303), fresh fish (HS code 0302), and frozen fish fillets (HS code 0304). Frozen fish fillets just took the fourth largest part in seafood import structure of the country, but getting the fastest growth rate during the period of 2005 – 2012.
According to statistics from International Trade Center (ITC), Malaysia bought US$862.1 million of all fish and seafood products in 2011. In which, China was the biggest supplier. Imports from Vietnam valued at US$ 45.3 million, higher than that in almost every year since 2004. In 2007, Vietnamese exporters earned US$48.8 million from fish sales to this country.
Vietnam is now Malaysia’s fourth provider of seafood products, but it occupies the first place among suppliers of frozen fish fillets to the market. In 2011, shipment of these items brought back US$26.7 million for the country.
Beside imported fish, Malaysia also focuses on developing local fish aquaculture. Malaysia aims to reach 80,000 MT of farmed-fish production during 5 years to respond to domestic demand and export. So that, the country can double seafood export and compete with other producing countries in ASEAN like Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.
|
TOP TEN SEAFOOD SUPPLIERS TO MALAYSIA, US$ mil. (Source: ITC) |
||||||||
|
Origin |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
|
China |
63.193 |
94.998 |
108.632 |
117.985 |
90.984 |
162.407 |
222.333 |
273.444 |
|
Indonesia |
65.673 |
65.362 |
64.863 |
93.293 |
98.957 |
103.189 |
123.838 |
156.407 |
|
Thailand |
105.717 |
92.897 |
95.487 |
99.339 |
90.517 |
88.884 |
97.503 |
120.385 |
|
Vietnam |
37.560 |
27.998 |
43.034 |
48.859 |
32.636 |
27.718 |
26.435 |
45.328 |
|
Myanmar |
22.418 |
26.487 |
30.892 |
29.570 |
29.586 |
31.450 |
35.146 |
39.595 |
|
India |
30.407 |
45.409 |
31.377 |
29.467 |
22.714 |
23.795 |
29.127 |
39.343 |
|
Japan |
5.810 |
5.510 |
7.787 |
10.230 |
14.692 |
14.166 |
18.990 |
19.842 |
|
Norway |
4.547 |
4.560 |
8.122 |
10.146 |
10.405 |
11.252 |
14.552 |
18.068 |
|
Pakistan |
13.793 |
11.837 |
12.152 |
12.977 |
13.331 |
13.853 |
10.776 |
17.409 |
|
Mexico |
3.102 |
5.142 |
6.097 |
7.164 |
5.593 |
9.601 |
7.498 |
16.606 |
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States (1995–2025). In parallel with the nation's progress in international economic integration, bilateral seafood trade has followed a remarkably impressive growth trajectory, expanding from an initial scale of just tens of millions of US dollars to nearly $2 billion annually. This growth has positioned the United States as Vietnam’s largest seafood export market for many consecutive years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 12, 2025, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processing and Export (VASEP) issued document 231/CV-VASEP regarding strengthening measures to combat IUU fishing and working with the Government to lift the EC's IUU yellow card warning.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is easy to farm and provides high economic and nutritional value, making it a sought-after export commodity in many countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in the first 10 months of 2025 recorded significant progress, reaching more than USD 9.5 billion, up 15% year-on-year. This result reflects the sector’s persistent efforts amid a highly volatile market, especially policy shocks from the US Although signs of slowdown emerged in the third quarter due to countervailing taxes, key product groups still maintained strong momentum and created a foundation for full-year exports to reach USD 11 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s agreement with the United States on a framework for reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade—reached during the 2025 ASEAN Summit in Malaysia—has generated strong optimism for Vietnamese exports, including tuna. Numerous positive points in the joint statement have raised high expectations for Vietnamese export goods, but turning these expectations into tangible benefits remains a long and challenging journey.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the conference on “Linking the Production and Consumption Chain of Ca Mau Crab 2025,” Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee Lê Văn Sử posed a central question: how to shift the province’s crab exports toward official trade channels, instead of relying heavily on small-scale border trade with China as currently practiced.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The whitefish market in Japan is showing a clear divergence among supplying countries, in which Vietnam continues to affirm its role as a stable and high-potential exporter. Vietnam currently ranks third after the US and Russia in whitefish export value to Japan. Thanks to tariff incentives and the ability to meet Japan’s strict standards, Vietnamese pangasius continues to record a stable and positive growth trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The People's Committee of Ca Mau Province has just issued a plan to expand the super-intensive, low-water-exchange, biosecure white-leg shrimp farming model (RAS-IMTA) for whiteleg shrimp farming to a scale of 1,500 hectares, aiming to develop high-tech, sustainable and environmentally friendly shrimp farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company (HNX: SGC) plans to issue over 7.1 million shares to raise nearly 465 Billion VND for Hoan Ngoc M&A Deal.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Rabobank, global tilapia production is forecast to exceed 7 million tons in 2025, driven by a strong recovery in major producing countries including China, Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Among them, Vietnam is emerging as a potential tilapia supplier in the global supply chain, capitalizing on market fluctuations to expand production and exports.
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