“Before Vietnam only used to sell whole fish to the border region in southern China. Now fillet pangasius goes to Beijing and to Shanghai and even now goes to Dalian. The demand will be much higher.” Truong Dinh Hoe, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers said.
Vietnam’s pangasius exporters benefited from the China-US trade rift last year, with major importers switching to Vietnamese pangasius. The fish is a type of catfish and widely accepted by US consumers
Vietnam is the world’s largest pangasius producer, achieving 1.33 million metric tons of output in 2018, versus 1.25m in 2017, The next biggest players are India with 540,000t of output in 2018, Bangladesh with 455,000t, and Indonesia with 110,000t.
China is fast catching up with the European Union as the world’s biggest seafood importer, as imports reached almost 5m metric tons seafood last year, according to Rabobank. Pangasius is a “really good choice” for Chinese customers seeking white fish fillets given that Vietnam neighbors the world’s most populous nation, Truong Dinh Hoe said.
One of the last challenges to overcome was getting Chinese customers to buy imported fillets, instead of whole fish, he said. China’s GDP per capita has surged from $3,471 in 2008 to $8,827 in 2017, according to World Bank data. By contrast, Vietnam’s GDP per capita rose from $1,143 to $2,342 over the same period, broadly meaning it’s labor costs are now much cheaper than China.
This means that selling fillets made on the Mekong Delta to China is highly competitive.
Currently, seafood exports to China is increasingly convenient with low cost. Almost seafood exporters in the South have moved from road transportation to marinetime transpotation. Compared to exports through unofficiall route by road, officiall exports by seaway helps enterprises limit payment, product quality risks and save costs.
In 2019, it will be an opportunity for enterprises to expand exports by sea freight to major cities of China to improve the quality and quantity of official exports. Seafood exports to the Chinese market are forecast to reach US$1.5 billion this year, of which pangasius is one of the key products.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a fairly strong upward trend in 2025, Vietnam’s clam exports entered 2026 with a mixed picture: strong growth at the beginning of the year, followed by a slowdown from March onward. According to Vietnam Customs data, Vietnam’s clam export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached more than USD 38 million, up 2% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
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