In the first eight months of 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to China and Hong Kong saw a negative growth of 4% compared to the same period last year, reaching only $357 million and accounting for 25% of Vietnam’s total pangasius exports. In August alone, exports to this market also dropped by 4%, totaling $55 million.
CPTPP and South America emerge as growth pillars
The CPTPP bloc led the growth in Vietnam’s pangasius imports during the first 8 months of 2025, with export value reaching $242 million, up 36% year-on-year - the highest among all market groups. Japan, Canada, Mexico and Chile recorded stable demand, particularly for high-quality fillets and deeply processed products. The primary reason is the near-zero tariff benefits under the CPTPP agreement which gives Vietnamese pangasius a clear pricing edge over competing species such as pollock and tilapia. Additionally, these markets require clear quality standards and traceability that many Vietnamese enterprises have successfully met, thereby increasing the average order value.
Beyond CPTPP, South America is also proving to be an increasingly attractive destination. By the end of August 2025, exports to Brazil – considered the gateway to the region - reached $118 million, surging 54% compared to the previous year, driven by rising demand as a substitute for local tilapia and growing consumer familiarity with pangasius. Colombia and Chile maintain stable imports, further expanding Vietnam’s footprint in the region. Both CPTPP and South America not only offset the decline from China but also offer opportunities for higher profits through quality orders, better payment terms and higher margins. These two markets are emerging as the “twin growth engines” for Vietnamese pangasius.
Second half of 2025: A strategic window for market restructuring
In the second half of 2025, the supply of raw pangasius is tightening, while export prices show signs of recovery in Q4. This presents an opportunity for enterprises to exporters to contracts in fast-growing markets such as CPTPP and South America, capitalizing on the year-end holiday season. Meanwhile, the U.S and EU will continue to serve as stable markets with high sustainability standards, compelling the pangasius industry to elevate quality to maintain market share.
The ASEAN market also remains promising, with pangasius exports to Thailand reaching $52 million (+31%) and to the Philippines $26 million (+31%) in the first eight months of 2025.
If enterprises can consolidate their position across the three key pillars - CPTPP, South America and traditional markets U.S., EU, and ASEAN) - Vietnam’s pangasius industry will achieve a multi-polar market structure, reducing reliance on any single market and enhancing resilience against global trade fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?
(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 - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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