Increasing consumer awareness of health benefits associated with seafood and growing consumption serves as a key driver for development of the market. In addition, the market demand is expected to be further fuelled by the lack of naturally available varieties owing to extensive fishing. Rice-fish culture is expected to serve as key growth opportunity for this market over the next six years, reports Watech.
Carps were the largest product segment, accounting for 25,137.6 kilo tons of global aquaculture demand in 2013 and is expected to reach 29,462.8 kilo tons in 2020, growing at a CAGR of 2.2 per cent from 2014 to 2020.
The demand for carps is expected to rise as it is one of the prime cultivated fish due to its high compatibility with non-ideal environmental conditions and its extensive use in fish farming. Mollusks were the second largest product segment, with market demand exceeding 16,619.6 kilo tons in 2013, owing to health benefits resulting in high consumption.
Global aquaculture demand was 69,230 kilo tons in 2013 and is expected to reach 80,400 kilo tons by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 2.0 per cent from 2014 to 2020.
China was largest market for aquaculture, accounting for about 53 per cent of global market share, valued at USD 77,934.8 million in 2013. The market is expected to show rapid growth due to favorable climatic conditions for aqua farming, availability of resources and labor.
Asia Pacific (excluding China) was the second largest market for aquaculture with market demand of 17.965.2 kilo tons in 2013, and is estimated to grow with a CAGR of 2.1 per cent from 2014 to 2020 due to ideal climatic conditions and technological innovation in this region.
In 2013, fresh water was the largest culture environment for aquaculture with market share of over 60 per cent and is expected to witness swift growth, at an estimated CAGR of 2.2 per cent from 2014 to 2020.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached US$1.14 billion in August 2026, up 6.4% year on year, bringing the total for the first eight months to more than US$8.0 billion, an increase of 11.9%. Monthly export value remained above US$1 billion, but August growth was only around half the rate recorded cumulatively through the first eight months. This indicates that the eight-month result was supported significantly by stronger performance in earlier months, while market conditions are entering a less predictable period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius is attracting growing interest from Japanese seafood companies as prices of many traditional whitefish species remain high and supply becomes increasingly volatile. Notably, seafood group Kyokuyo has recently continued to feature pangasius among its priority products, highlighting its competitive pricing and stable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As Vietnam’s tilapia industry searches for new growth opportunities, venturing into brackish-water aquaculture could unlock a formidable competitive moat. Bypassing the volume-and-price bloodbath against established global heavyweights, Vietnam could differentiate itself through high-quality tilapia products tailored to specific farming conditions and value-added market segments.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) 2026 is rapidly shaping up to be a formidable stress test for Vietnamese pangasius exports to the United States. While exports to alternative markets maintain a resilient growth trajectory, the U.S market has declined significantly. In the first eight months of the year, pangasius exports to the U.S fell by nearly 14% year-on-year, with August alone recording a decline of more than 50%. The trend shows that difficulties in the U.S. market are not driven solely by weak consumer demand, but also by multiple layers of trade barriers that are intensifying simultaneously, particularly additional import tariffs, anti-dumping duties and growing protectionism for the domestic catfish industry.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan are showing positive signals in 2026, indicating that the market is opening up greater opportunities for pangasius products, particularly processed and value-added products. In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan reached US$31 million, up 20% year-on-year. In July alone, export value reached approximately US$5 million, up 30%.
On July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP detailing certain articles and providing measures for the organization and implementation of the Law on Foreign Trade Management. The Decree takes effect on September 5, 2026, replacing Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius producer Vinh Hoan has won the top prize at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Asia Awards for its Cured Panga Croquette, highlighting the growing potential of value-added pangasius products in international markets.
(vasep.com.vn) The Global Shrimp Forum (GSF) 2026 is taking place from September 1–3 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, bringing together around 585 delegates from 40 countries, representing approximately 300 companies and organizations across the shrimp supply chain. Representatives from VASEP are attending the event as part of the Vietnamese delegation, strengthening connections with partners across the global shrimp industry.
(vasep.com.vn) At the international B2B seminar (Hosted Buyer Program) held as part of Vietfish 2026, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Pham, Sales Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, delivered a presentation entitled “Vietnam’s Shrimp Industry: Changing for Sustainability.” From the perspective of a seafood processor, the presentation highlighted that Vietnam’s shrimp industry continues to play a leading role in seafood exports, but is entering a new phase of competition in which change is no longer an option, but a prerequisite for growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) VIETFISH 2026 may have concluded after three dynamic days in Ho Chi Minh City, but conversations around the exhibition continue to resonate across international trade media, industry organizations, and the social media channels of participating companies.
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