Seven out of eight main pangasius importers of Vietnam increased their purchase value, including the U.S., ASEAN, Brazil, China and Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Colombia. Only the EU got a drop in import. After four months of drop, pangasius exports to Mexico and Colombia soared up in May 2013 (121.8 percent for Mexico and 53.6 percent for Colombia), leading to a rise in earnings from these two markets in the first five months.
Russia was in the eight leading importers of Vietnamese pangasius between January and May 2012. But exports to Russia in January – May 2013 considerably stumbled causing a step back for the market that has fallen below Saudi Arabia. This period, exports to Saudi Arabia valued at US$23.26 million, up 11 percent from the compatible time of 2012.
Some companies said that decline of tilapia production in some provinces in China will create new opportunities for pangasius in freshwater fish importing markets in the coming time. Currently, sale of tilapia seedlings in several provinces in South China are running well below volumes of 2012. In Guangxi, sales of seedlings are down 30percent to 40percent; in Guangdong they are down 20percent to 30percent. Prolonged rainy and cold weather is disturbing the progress of the seedlings and tilapia production this year. Tilapia production is predicted to fall, as the international market for Chinese tilapia consumption is worrisome. In the first four months of 2013, U.S. imported 42,629 MT of tilapia from all sources, with a worth value of US$201.3 million, down 20 percent in volume and 21 percent in value over the corresponding period of 2012, mainly due to decline in purchase from China.
The EU market continued reducing fish purchase from Vietnam while the U.S. kept the uptrend in import and became the leading consumer of Vietnam pangasius in April and May 2013. Through May 2013, the U.S. was Vietnam’s largest pangasius importer, followed by the EU.
The U.S. accounted for 24 percent in Vietnam’s total earnings from pangasius exports. In January – May 2013, shipment to this destination reached US$170.18 million, up 16 percent over that of 2012. Exports were around US$56.9 million in May 2013, up 72 percent from May 2012 and just saw a drop in February and March. The higher antidumping tax imposed in POR8 could not curb the uptrend. Eight Vietnamese companies receiving the zero-percent duty rate are accelerating shipments of pangasius products to the U.S. In particular, the price of imported pangasius was unchanged in the U.S. market. In June 2013, frozen pangasius fillets 5-7 oz averagely cost was still at US$1.8 per pound, higher than US$1.7 per pound in the first months of the year.
The EU ranked second among pangasius importing countries with a value of US$159 million in January – May 2013, down 15.6 percent on that of 2012 representing 22.4 percent of Vietnam’s total export value. The EU market has still been on a quiet trend and is full of supply of some whitemeat fish species like cod, pushing down prices of cod and other whitemeat fish. A report by the European Commission in early May 2013 said that 17 economies in the euro zone are still falling into stagnation this year while 27 EU member countries will only get growth of 0.1 percent, down 0.3 percent compared to initial predictions. OECD says that the U.S. economy will reach growth of 1.9 percent in 2013 and 2.8 percent in 2014.
(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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
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