Despite a double-digit decrease in pangasius imports from Vietnam to China in the first three quarters of this year, Mr. Chen Xindong, a veteran expert in the industry, believes that the demand for high-quality fish fillets still has significant growth potential in China. Mr. Chen Xindong is currently the General Director of Octogone Pangasius Distribution Company, a subsidiary of Vinh Hoan in China.
Customs data shows that China imported 127,000 tons of frozen pangasius, worth $264 million in nine months this year, down from 206,000 tons and $510 million last year.
But Mr. Chen believes that pangasius has an advantage in China, with the potential for explosive growth if it replaces other ingredients in some dishes.
At the recent China Fisheries and Seafood Fair held in Qingdao, a representative of import company Qingdao Meichu Foods said pangasius cooked with Sichuan pickles has become one of the most popular dishes in China. Mr. Chen said the market is being driven by dishes such as braised pangasius with Sichuan pickles, grilled fish, and hot pot.
In hot pot, deboned pangasius still dominates local boned snakehead fish. Mr. Chen said most have now returned to pangasius: "If other dishes can be replaced with pangasius, sales will likely grow explosively."
Signs of market recovery
Mr. Chen added that there are signs that the Chinese pangasius market is recovering. Pangasius sales began to recover in July and continued to increase throughout August and September, thanks to the summer vacations of students, he explained. In addition, collective kitchens have reopened after a long period of prohibition due to COVID-19.
He said China's recovering food service industry is also consuming pangasius despite relatively low prices. Pangasius consumption remains stable, but efforts to sell off higher-priced inventory from last year have resulted in overall lower profits.
Meanwhile, sales during China's National Day holiday in October fell short of expectations.
Mr. Chen added that the discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant does not affect the Chinese pangasius market. Many consumers assume that the ingredients in Japanese restaurants come from Japan, but in reality, their salmon comes mainly from Norway and Chile.
China's farmed pangasius is not a threat.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese producers are still not very concerned about the risk of losing Chinese customers, although pangasius producers in Hainan and Guangdong are entering the market.
Mr. Lin Xiaowen, General Manager of Hainan Xiangtai Fish, said his company recently overcame challenges in pangasius farming and discovered new techniques after 4 years of trial farming.
Xiangtai, China's largest tilapia processor, is a key player in Hainan's fledgling pangasius industry. The company has a joint venture to produce pangasius breeds in Hainan and has developed specialized feeds and farming methods suitable for the province. Mr. Lin hopes Xiangtai's pangasius output will reach 10,000 tons this year.
But Mr. Lin admitted that even in climatic conditions similar to Hainan, the size of farmed pangasius is generally smaller than that of Vietnam. He said that currently, China's domestic pangasius cannot compete directly with imports from Vietnam.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Currently, Da Nang City has no fishing vessels detained, sanctioned by foreign authorities, or criminally prosecuted for IUU fishing violations. Patrols, monitoring of marine fishing activities, and handling of violations have been prioritized by competent forces, significantly reducing nearshore fishing infringements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel in the first nine months of 2025 reached just over USD 27 million, down as much as 49% compared to the same period in 2024. This is a steep and prolonged decline for many consecutive months, reflecting changes in import demand as well as shifts in the supply structure of this market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first 700 tons of Vietnamese tilapia ordered and imported by JBS Group will initially be distributed through supermarket chains, the Horeca network and JBS’s product showrooms in Brazil.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In October 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius exports hit $217 million, representing an 8% increase compared to the same month in 2024. For the first 10 months of the year, total export value has surpassed $1.8 billion, up 9% year-on-year. This growth demonstrates clear positive momentum for the pangasius industry, despite continued declines in certain markets.
In recent days, the Central provinces of Vietnam have been suffering from historic flooding, with prolonged heavy rains, landslides, flash floods, and deep inundation causing extremely serious impacts on tens of thousands of households, as well as many VASEP member exporters located in the region. With the spirit of mutual support and solidarity, and in order to promptly assist residents and member exporters in the affected areas to stabilize their lives and restore production activities, VASEP calls on all seafood exporters, organizations, and individuals to extend supports to the people and member exporters in the flood-hit areas. We urge timely and practical material and spiritual contributions to help member exporters and local communities in the severely affected provinces overcome this difficult period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the final days of October 2025, Vietnam’s domestic raw shrimp market remained generally stable, though slight adjustments were recorded in several sizes across key farming regions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 498 million in October 2025, up 26% from the same period last year. This is one of the highest monthly revenues since the beginning of the year, reflecting solid demand in major markets and faster shipment schedules by exporters. From January to October, shrimp export value reached USD 3.9 billion, up 22% compared to the same period in 2024.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 31, 2025, the US Court of International Trade (CIT) officially issued an order to suspend the case filed by the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), the National Restaurant Association (NRA), and several US seafood companies against the US Government concerning the implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) An Giang’s fisheries sector has maintained stable growth momentum during the first nine months of 2025, making an important contribution to the province’s socio-economic development. Despite facing numerous challenges, the province is implementing various measures to enhance production efficiency, expand markets, and promote sustainable fisheries development toward deeper integration into the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius export value in September 2025 reached USD 181 million, up 5% compared to the same period in 2024. The overall trend for the pangasius industry remains positive, with total exports in the first nine months of 2025 reaching nearly USD 1.6 billion, an increase of 9% year-on-year.
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