(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
Monthly trajectories illustrate a clear and deepening contraction. January was a rare outlier, surging more than twofold year-over-year to $3 million, largely driven by a low base effect. Exports nearly halved in February before recovering slightly in March, rising 16% to a record $4 million for the first eight months. From April onward, exports performance experienced a continuous and severe decline: dropping by over 40% in April, nearly 60% in June, and plummeting by 70% in both July and August. The main reason was the high comparison base in 2025, when monthly exports in the middle of the year reached $6-8 million, compared with only around $2-4 million this year.
In 2025, tilapia exports to the U.S surged, supported by supply gaps and tariff advantages. The U.S initially announced a 46% reciprocal tariff on Vietnamese goods, which was subsequently revised downward to 20% effective August 2025. Concurrently, Chinese tilapia faced multiple additional tariffs totaling around 45%, while Brazilian tilapia faced additional duties of around 50%. Capitalizing on this tariff gap, Vietnamese enterprises significantly expanded their market share, generating over $53 million in export turnover - equivalent to nearly 8% of total U.S tilapia import value.
Entering 2026, the macroeconomic landscape has shifted unfavorably. On the one hand, frozen seafood inventories in the U.S reached elevated levels in 2025 and residual stock within the distribution system continues to foster cautious procurement behavior among importers. On the other hand, tariffs levied on Chinese tilapia have been meaningfully reduced from their previous peak, currently standing at around 37.5% for frozen fillets. This has narrowed the tariff advantage previously enjoyed by Vietnamese products.
In terms of market size, the U.S imported nearly 185,000 tons of tilapia in 2025, valued at approximately $690 million. While import volumes remained virtually flat, total value contracted by roughly 7%, reflecting intensifying downward price pressures and a consumer pivot toward more cost-effective product alternatives. Frozen fillets remained the leading product category, increasing by nearly 10%, while whole frozen tilapia declined by more than 11%. The average import price was around $3.7 per kg.
Against this backdrop, China remains the biggest competitor to Vietnamese tilapia in the U.S market, while Indonesia and Brazil also compete in certain segments. Given the shrinking tariff advantages and incomplete inventory clearance in the U.S, Vietnam's tilapia exports are anticipated to face persistent headwinds throughout the latter months of the year.