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) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
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