OVERVIEW ON VIETNAM PANGASIUS INDUSTRY
Vietnam's pangasius industry is an important industry, contributing greatly to the country's fisheries economy and exports have grown continuously over the years, especially in recent years, pangasius has brought in foreign currency from 1.8 - 2.4 billion USD for the export fisheries industry.
• Abundant supply: Vietnam has favorable natural conditions for pangasius farming, especially in the Mekong Delta provinces such as Dong Thap, An Giang, Vinh Long, Tien Giang. These regions have large river systems and lakes, suitable for pangasius farming.
• Large production scale: Vietnam is the largest pangasius producer in the world, with a very large production scale, including both farming and processing. Over the five-year period from 2020 to 2025, the farming area for pangasius has shown a declining trend, leading to a corresponding decrease in production.
• Diverse products: Vietnamese pangasius is processed into many different products such as pangasius fillets, frozen pangasius, seasoned pangasius fillets, fresh pangasius, etc. These products are mainly for export.
• Large exports: Vietnam is the world's leading pangasius exporter. Vietnam's pangasius exports in the period 2015-2024 have grown strongly, especially during the post-pandemic recovery period. However, in 2025, the imposition of a 20% reciprocal tariff by the United States has reduced the price competitiveness of Vietnamese pangasius products in this market. As a result, expanding exports to other markets such as CPTPP, ASEAN, and the Middle East is considered a necessary direction in the coming years. Strong growth in Brazil is a positive signal, although this market currently still mainly imports frozen pangasius fillets.
Since 2021, the proportion of pangasius in total seafood export turnover has increased again, up to 37.2% in 2022, reaching 2.4 billion USD, the highest level in the past 10 years. In 2025, pangasius export turnover reached over USD 2.2 billion, up 8% compared to 2024.
• Technology application: Vietnam's pangasius industry is gradually shifting towards applying modern technologies in production and processing, including advanced fish farming technology, food processing technology, quality management systems that meet international standards (ISO, HACCP) and sustainability certifications such as ASC, Global Gap.
• Environmental issues: The pangasius industry also faces a number of environmental challenges, such as water pollution, fish feed sources, and sustainability in farming. However, solutions to improve environmental management and protection are being increasingly applied.
• Development potential: With increasing consumption demand, the Vietnamese pangasius industry has great potential for development, especially with support from state policies and innovation in technology and management.
