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) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
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