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) 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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