At the European Seafood Exposition (ESE), many pangasius importers refused to close deal with Vietnam suppliers at US$2.7 per kilogram (FOB, Ho Chi Minh City). At VND22,000 – 24,000 per kilogram of domestic raw fish, even if fish could be sold at US$2.7, both pangasius processors and farmers would only reach breakeven. In fact, some other companies insist on keeping offers at high level of US$3.2 – 3.5 per kilogram. In their opinion, pangasius products are currently traded in supermarket chain at US$13 per kilogram, so fish importers and retailers still reach a great deal if they accept to purchase pangasius at US$3.5. However, European purchasers hesitated to buy fish due to low fish consumption in the region.
Fish consumption in the EU is weakening. According to International Trade Center (ITC), shipment of seafood (HS code 03) to the market in January 2012 totaled US$2.56 billion, a drop of nearly 9 percent from the same month last year. On the one hand, the drop in import value was caused by financial difficulties in European countries. On the other hand, other EU’s seafood suppliers, particularly Thailand, reduced shipments to this market because of less attractive export price.
In the first months of 2012, Thailand’s export of all varieties of fish to the EU fell about 10 percent, in which tilapia reported the strongest drop.
Statistics from Thailand Customs and Thai Frozen Food Association (TFFA) showed that in January and February 2012, shipment of frozen and fresh tilapia from Thailand to the EU was down 99.73 percent from the same period of 2012. However, fish’s average export price went up to Baht90,000 per MT. Export volume of tilapia fillet was also dropped 93 percent, but average export price was 5 times higher than that of the first two months of 2011.
According to Vietnam Customs, the number of Vietnam exporters to the EU decreased sharply from the same period of 2011, especially many companies stopped to ship to the block although it was considered as their main and traditional market.
An exporter shared that the EU accounted for 50 percent of the company’s total exports. However, since early 2012, it has stopped supplying fish to the market because consumption of fish remained weak there and importers offered a very low price while the firm tried to sell fish at more than US$3.0 per kilogram. “Stanstill business with the EU makes us difficult, but we accept to wait and hope for a new period of higher fish price. We accept the difficult time to keep the real value for pangasius”.
Pangasius is a famous and special fish of Vietnam which is seen as an alternative for the world’s main whitemeat fish species. The fish became more and more popular and gains lots of confidence of consumers in the EU and global market. In the tough economic situation when European consumers have to cut expenses in every way, they are still looking for a good quality fish with reasonable prices like pangasius. Therefore, EU importers and retailers have to keep pangasius on supermarket shelves if they want to attract customers.
Should Vietnam pangasius exporters stop supply fish to the EU within a month to wait the market to recover? And why not US$3.5 per kilogram for pangasius fillet?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
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