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) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
(vasep.com.vn) Australia is emerging as one of the most stable and promising growth markets for Vietnamese shrimp. Amid global trade disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly conflicts in the Middle East—strengthening and expanding into stable markets like Australia has become increasingly important for Vietnam’s shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports reached over USD 111 million, up 23% compared to the same period in 2025. This result indicates a positive start for the sector, reflecting early signs of demand recovery in multiple markets from the beginning of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s fisheries sector maintained positive growth momentum, with shrimp output exceeding 132 thousand tons. This result contributed to a strong increase in seafood export turnover, despite ongoing volatility in the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in February 2026, with many markets recording sharp increases compared to the same period last year. In February alone, export value reached USD 8.4 million, up 148% year-on-year. Cumulatively, in the first two months of 2026, total tilapia export turnover hit USD 23 million, soaring 242% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In global seafood trade, sensory evaluation is increasingly becoming one of the key “technical barriers” in many importing markets-especially the United States. Issues such as filth, and signs of decomposition/spoilage are often detected through sensory evaluation methods and remain common reasons for seafood import alerts, detentions, or shipment rejections.
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