Product structure: Fillets as the primary growth driver
Regarding the product structure, the growth of Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the U.S in 2025 primarily concentrated in the tilapia fillet group. Export turnover of this product group to the U.S reached $40 million, surging 499% compared to 2024, becoming the largest contributing segment to the total tilapia export value to this market.
The strong expansion of tilapia fillets reflects consumption trends in the U.S, where convenient, easy-to-prepare and quality-stable products continue to be favored. Meanwhile, the fresh/frozen fish group maintained modest growth with turnover exceeding $13 million, up 4% year-on-year, playing a foundational segment in the export structure.
By contrast, exports of other processed tilapia products (HS16) and dried tilapia (HS0305) to the U.S recorded declines of 39% and 68%, respectively, compared to 2024. This indicates that in 2025, the U.S market focused more on frozen fillet products rather than deep-processed products or dried fish.
High tariffs on China and Brazil boost Vietnam’s presence in the U.S market
The growth of Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States has been closely linked to major fluctuations in global supply. China - the world’s largest producer and exporter of tilapia – continues to face high tariffs of up to 55%, significantly undermining the competitiveness of its tilapia in the U.S. market. Meanwhile, Brazil has also been subject to a high tariff rate of 50% since August 2025, forcing its enterprises to adjust their export strategies.
Against this backdrop, Vietnamese enterprises have swiftly seized the opportunity, ramping up investment in tilapia farming and processing, particularly frozen tilapia fillets that align with U.S market demand. Advantages in production costs, stable supply and the ability to flexibly meet technical requirements have helped Vietnamese tilapia increase its market share in the this market in 2025.
Outlook and development orientation
Although the U.S market continues to be assessed as a key destination in the short term, heavy reliance on a single market also poses potential risks in the face of trade policy changes. As Brazil increasingly redirects its exports toward the EU market to offset reduced access to the U.S market, Vietnam needs to continue improving product quality and meeting international certifications and sustainability standards if it wants the tilapia industry to develop sustainably.
At the same time, continued investment in broodstock improvement, farming technologies and value-added processing will be a critical foundation for Vietnam’s tilapia sector to both effectively capitalize on opportunities in the U.S market and gradually expand into demanding markets such as the EU, thereby sustaining growth momentum and strengthening its standing in the international market.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first six months of 2026 indicate that Vietnam’s tilapia industry is entering a new phase of development, with strong export growth but also greater demands for production scale, quality and international competitiveness.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Fishermen in Ha Tinh are gradually overcoming difficulties to maintain the efficiency of seafood exploitation. In the first six months of 2026, the entire province achieved a production of more than 23,000 tons of seafood, worth more than 1,200 billion VND.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) June 2026 brought encouraging signs for Vietnam's tuna exports, with export value rising 20% year-on-year to nearly USD 72 million. However, this increase has yet to offset the prolonged slowdown seen in key markets such as the European Union (EU), where import demand remains weak. The outlook for the second half of the year is expected to become more challenging as freight rates continue to climb.
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