Product structure: Fillets as the primary growth driver
Regarding the product structure, the growth of Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the U.S in 2025 primarily concentrated in the tilapia fillet group. Export turnover of this product group to the U.S reached $40 million, surging 499% compared to 2024, becoming the largest contributing segment to the total tilapia export value to this market.
The strong expansion of tilapia fillets reflects consumption trends in the U.S, where convenient, easy-to-prepare and quality-stable products continue to be favored. Meanwhile, the fresh/frozen fish group maintained modest growth with turnover exceeding $13 million, up 4% year-on-year, playing a foundational segment in the export structure.
By contrast, exports of other processed tilapia products (HS16) and dried tilapia (HS0305) to the U.S recorded declines of 39% and 68%, respectively, compared to 2024. This indicates that in 2025, the U.S market focused more on frozen fillet products rather than deep-processed products or dried fish.
High tariffs on China and Brazil boost Vietnam’s presence in the U.S market
The growth of Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States has been closely linked to major fluctuations in global supply. China - the world’s largest producer and exporter of tilapia – continues to face high tariffs of up to 55%, significantly undermining the competitiveness of its tilapia in the U.S. market. Meanwhile, Brazil has also been subject to a high tariff rate of 50% since August 2025, forcing its enterprises to adjust their export strategies.
Against this backdrop, Vietnamese enterprises have swiftly seized the opportunity, ramping up investment in tilapia farming and processing, particularly frozen tilapia fillets that align with U.S market demand. Advantages in production costs, stable supply and the ability to flexibly meet technical requirements have helped Vietnamese tilapia increase its market share in the this market in 2025.
Outlook and development orientation
Although the U.S market continues to be assessed as a key destination in the short term, heavy reliance on a single market also poses potential risks in the face of trade policy changes. As Brazil increasingly redirects its exports toward the EU market to offset reduced access to the U.S market, Vietnam needs to continue improving product quality and meeting international certifications and sustainability standards if it wants the tilapia industry to develop sustainably.
At the same time, continued investment in broodstock improvement, farming technologies and value-added processing will be a critical foundation for Vietnam’s tilapia sector to both effectively capitalize on opportunities in the U.S market and gradually expand into demanding markets such as the EU, thereby sustaining growth momentum and strengthening its standing in the international market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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