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) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) More than five years after the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) took effect, Vietnamese seafood is steadily expanding its market share in the United Kingdom, one of Europe’s major seafood import markets with stable and diverse consumer demand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At Van Hung Commune, Khanh Hoa Province, the Khanh Hoa Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with the Northern Aquaculture Research Center and the Van Hung Public Service Center, organized a technical training course on the industrial-scale production of disease-free golden pompano (Trachinotus falcatus) seed for local marine fish farmers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports maintained a strong recovery in the first five months of 2026, reaching more than USD 302 million, up 17% compared to the same period in 2025. Growth was primarily driven by Asian markets, including South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and China, while exports to the United States and the European Union continued to face headwinds from cautious consumer demand and increasingly stringent compliance requirements.
Vietnamese seafood giant Minh Phu Group has inaugurated a VND1.5 trillion (US$57.4 million) seafood processing plant in Ca Mau Province.
(vasep.com.vn) From 19–21 August 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the theme "Innovation – Sustainability", Vietfish 2026 continues to serve as Vietnam's flagship annual seafood event, bringing together seafood producers, exporters, importers, buyers, industry experts, government agencies, and stakeholders from across the domestic and global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in May 2026, reaching USD 14 million, up 18% compared with the same month last year. Cumulative export value for the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 62 million, representing a remarkable 101% increase over the same period in 2025, highlighting the sector’s strong recovery in international markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 367 million in the first five months of 2026, down 7% compared to the same period in 2025. While the decline is not yet severe, the more concerning issue is that pressure is mounting in key markets such as the United States and the European Union, just as ocean freight rates are rising sharply on long-haul routes. The current situation is therefore not merely about slower orders, but rather a clear restructuring phase for Vietnam’s tuna industry.
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