At the beginning of 2023, the active working atmosphere of seafood enterprises, including pangasius enterprises, showed optimistic signals on the recovery of orders from the markets. On the first working day after the Tet holiday, workers of Hung Ca Co., Ltd. are busy preparing for an export order of 21 containers of pangasius fillets. At Vinh Hoan JSC, nearly 10,000 workers also return to the company to prepare for new orders.
Although in the last quarter of 2022, Vietnam's pangasius exports had fallen to the lowest level of the year with 475 million USD, down 12% compared to the same period in 2021 due to the impact of inflation causing orders from markets to decrease. However, compared to other seafood sectors, pangasius still has a better prospect in 2023, thanks to positive signals from two major markets, China and the US.
The full opening of China has created opportunities for many agricultural export products of Vietnam, including pangasius. With 712 million USD in 2022, pangasius accounts for 40% of Vietnam's seafood exports to China (accounts for the largest proportion). Chinese people tend to prefer pangasius over tilapia. Both importing and exporting seafood is now easier. Freight costs have also dropped below pre-pandemic levels, further facilitating trade.
China's lifting of restrictions on Covid has not been able to bring about a strong recovery for seafood orders in the first month of the year, because the epidemic is still a concern of many people and the restaurant segment has not been able to open yet. Everything changes after a few months, this market will adapt and explode in demand in the consumption segments.
For the US market, the supply and demand of white fish is beneficial for pangasius. Experts and traders in the US market are optimistic about the demand for pangasius and tilapia in the US market in 2023. Both species have reasonable prices and stable supply. Meanwhile, the ban with Russia continues to reduce the supply of cod - a popular white fish in the US. Especially during Lent (from late February to mid-April), demand will increase and will have to be replaced by others such as pangasius, tilapia, pollock.
This year, the US will increase its pollock quota by 16% to nearly 1.5 million tons, but it cannot meet immediate demand. For tilapia, the trade war and Covid epidemic still limit China's exports to the US. Therefore, pangasius still has a bright spot in this market. In the first 11 months of 2022, the US imported 120 thousand tons of pangasius fillets, while tilapia fillets reached 96 thousand tons. This is the first time that pangasius imports to the US have surpassed tilapia.
120 thousand tons of imported fish fillets into the US is also the second highest number since 2007, compared to the record level of over 130 thousand tons in 2016.
In 2022, Vietnam's pangasius exports to the US reached 537 million USD, an increase of 45% compared to 2021, maintaining a positive growth of 23% - 123% in the first 3 quarters of the year, but the increase in inventories caused a decrease in demand in the fourth quarter, so the last quarter of the year exports to the market decreased by 32%.
The US economy has a slight recovery signal, the inventory decreases and supply and demand factors may stimulate orders for pangasius to increase again after the Lunar New Year.
Those expectations can bring confidence in the resilience of pangasius businesses in 2023.
Compiled by Thu Hang
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Currently, Da Nang City has no fishing vessels detained, sanctioned by foreign authorities, or criminally prosecuted for IUU fishing violations. Patrols, monitoring of marine fishing activities, and handling of violations have been prioritized by competent forces, significantly reducing nearshore fishing infringements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel in the first nine months of 2025 reached just over USD 27 million, down as much as 49% compared to the same period in 2024. This is a steep and prolonged decline for many consecutive months, reflecting changes in import demand as well as shifts in the supply structure of this market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first 700 tons of Vietnamese tilapia ordered and imported by JBS Group will initially be distributed through supermarket chains, the Horeca network and JBS’s product showrooms in Brazil.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In October 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius exports hit $217 million, representing an 8% increase compared to the same month in 2024. For the first 10 months of the year, total export value has surpassed $1.8 billion, up 9% year-on-year. This growth demonstrates clear positive momentum for the pangasius industry, despite continued declines in certain markets.
In recent days, the Central provinces of Vietnam have been suffering from historic flooding, with prolonged heavy rains, landslides, flash floods, and deep inundation causing extremely serious impacts on tens of thousands of households, as well as many VASEP member exporters located in the region. With the spirit of mutual support and solidarity, and in order to promptly assist residents and member exporters in the affected areas to stabilize their lives and restore production activities, VASEP calls on all seafood exporters, organizations, and individuals to extend supports to the people and member exporters in the flood-hit areas. We urge timely and practical material and spiritual contributions to help member exporters and local communities in the severely affected provinces overcome this difficult period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the final days of October 2025, Vietnam’s domestic raw shrimp market remained generally stable, though slight adjustments were recorded in several sizes across key farming regions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 498 million in October 2025, up 26% from the same period last year. This is one of the highest monthly revenues since the beginning of the year, reflecting solid demand in major markets and faster shipment schedules by exporters. From January to October, shrimp export value reached USD 3.9 billion, up 22% compared to the same period in 2024.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 31, 2025, the US Court of International Trade (CIT) officially issued an order to suspend the case filed by the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), the National Restaurant Association (NRA), and several US seafood companies against the US Government concerning the implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) An Giang’s fisheries sector has maintained stable growth momentum during the first nine months of 2025, making an important contribution to the province’s socio-economic development. Despite facing numerous challenges, the province is implementing various measures to enhance production efficiency, expand markets, and promote sustainable fisheries development toward deeper integration into the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius export value in September 2025 reached USD 181 million, up 5% compared to the same period in 2024. The overall trend for the pangasius industry remains positive, with total exports in the first nine months of 2025 reaching nearly USD 1.6 billion, an increase of 9% year-on-year.
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
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn
