2016 was a year marked challenges and breakthroughs in both supply and export market conditions.
The most notable market challenge of 2016 came in April, when the US, which is Vietnam’s largest market accounting for 23 per cent of exports, implemented transitional enforcement of the “Catfish Inspection Programme”. This new programme, which will take away regulatory responsibility from the FDA and pass it to the USDA, comes with a myriad of new regulations and an equivalency requirement of the exporting countries’ inspection authority to that of the USA. These unprecedented changes have caused tremendous confusion throughout the global seafood industry.
On the supply side, March marked the most devastating drought the Mekong River Delta witnessed in the past century, bringing forth unfavourable salinity levels. These conditions forced smaller harvesting windows, causing abnormal spikes in raw material pricing. Vietnamese pangasius farmers will remember 2016 as the year marked by many erratic and unexpected fluctuations.
Nevertheless, industry performance stayed strong, with high growth in major markets (for example the US: 22.2 per cent, and China: 84.4 per cent). China even surpassed Europe to become the second largest importer of Vietnamese pangasius, accounting for 17 per cent of the total export. Total production volume in 2016 was estimated at 1.2 million tonnes, up 9 per cent year-on-year; and the farming acreage increased to 5,000 hectares. After the sluggish period from 2008-2015 with an annual growth rate of merely 1 per cent, the industry for the first time saw a recovery in 2016 with a 6.6 per cent growth rate.
With nearly a 20-year experience in the industry, Vinh Hoan continues to set higher targets and long-term strategies to capture the market opportunities. In the face of these supply and market challenges, Vinh Hoan continued its long track record of stable growth and continued to lay the foundation in innovative market strategies, new product development and sustainable farming techniques.
Besides increasing its foothold in existing markets, the company’s successful market strategy allowed it to open direct sales channels and forge into new markets. During 2016, it entered 5 new markets, increasing its total sales network to 170 customers in over 40 countries. Mexico and China reported a high-record year-on-year growth of 73 and 137 per cent, respectively; and the most notable direct sale channel opened up with the first sale of pangasius fillets to Mercadona- Spain’s largest retailer.
In 2016, a range of new value-added products were introduced, notably the basa teriyaki - its first ready-to-eat product. In December, the first “Vinh Foods” branded product was debuted to Spanish consumers.
In terms of sustainable farming, Vinh Hoan’s self-supply ratio reached nearly 65 per cent and saw total ASC-certified farm area reaching 115ha, the largest of that in Vietnam.
Also, with the establishment of Vinh Aquaculture - a division specialised in sustainable farming, Vinh Hoan will deepen the research and development into eco-friendly and economically sustainable aquaculture at a larger scale to satisfy increasingly rigorous technical requirements from importing countries.
With these all-encompassing approaches, Vinh Hoan has maintained its annual export growth rate at 12 per cent for the last 5 years. For 2017, Vinh Hoan targets 15 per cent growth in pangasius exports and $5 million in value-added products revenue, a 50 per cent increase on 2016.
Source: VIR
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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