The right economic policies have been helping Colombia in developing its economy sustainably, while many other countries are struggling with global economic crisis impacts.
Currently, Colombia’s per-capita fish consumption is 6 kilogram/year. Colombian consumers are becoming more interested in seafood products from Vietnam, particularly pangasius, creating huge opportunities for Vietnamese exporters to enter this market. According to Vietnam Customs, through 15th May, 2013, pangasius exports to Colombia reached US$18.4 million.
Over the recent years, Colombia’s fish aquaculture has remained with annual growth of 6.7 percent but the production was still at a low level to cover the demand. Colombia Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that fish harvest represented 84 percent of national fish farming; the remainder was shrimp.
In 2011, Colombia produced 61,500 MT of fish species, including 48,000 MT of tilapia (78 percent), 3,000 MT of freshwater farmed salmon… Huila, Valle del Cauca, Tolima and Meta were centers of tilapia farming. Freshwater farmed salmon were mainly breeded in Antioquia, Cauca, Boyaca, Cundinamarca and Narino. Currently, Colombia’s main export item is frozen fish (HS0303) with a total export volume of 41,069 MT and a value of US$79.09 million in 2012.
In 2012, the country imported US$156.758 million of fish products (HS03), up 29.1 percent on that of 2011. In which, Vietnam was the largest supplier with US$47.523 million of import value, accounting for 30 percent. Vietnam is also the leading exporter of frozen fish fillets to Colombia with 16,545 MT and a value of US$37.988 million in 2012.
In 2012 Colombia purchased mostly frozen fish products (HS0303), imports value totaled USS$66.259 million, up 46.4 percent over the previous year. Frozen fillets (HS0304) ranked second with US$65.066 million, up 18.55 percent from 2011; of which frozen pangasius fillets were 8,461 MT.
So far, international investors are turning their attention to Colombia rather than to Brazil, Mexico and Chile like they did in the past years. With a young population and a rapid and high growth, Colombia is becoming a “new economic tiger” of Latin America with an expected steady growth in the coming years. Therefore, there is a great opportunity, for Vietnamese seafood products and for pangasius, to develop in this market in the future.
|
Top 10 fish suppliers to Colombia, US$ mil. Source: ITC |
||||||
|
No. |
Origin |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
1 |
Vietnam |
6.918 |
10.703 |
22.493 |
40.328 |
47.523 |
|
2 |
Chile |
12.881 |
15.163 |
15.406 |
19.525 |
20.860 |
|
3 |
Ecuador |
12.965 |
13.880 |
13.604 |
14.528 |
19.104 |
|
4 |
Senegal |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1.345 |
11.321 |
|
5 |
South Africa |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3.348 |
10.285 |
|
6 |
China |
2.931 |
1.975 |
4.942 |
7.190 |
10.267 |
|
7 |
Argentina |
8.728 |
8.995 |
10.363 |
9.416 |
8.401 |
|
8 |
Uruguay |
1.915 |
1.976 |
1.442 |
3.157 |
4.628 |
|
9 |
Trinidad & Tobago |
3.482 |
13.272 |
11.590 |
9.361 |
3.301 |
|
10 |
Namibia |
0 |
0.778 |
0.471 |
0.885 |
2.899 |
(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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