In the first eight months of 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to China and Hong Kong saw a negative growth of 4% compared to the same period last year, reaching only $357 million and accounting for 25% of Vietnam’s total pangasius exports. In August alone, exports to this market also dropped by 4%, totaling $55 million.
CPTPP and South America emerge as growth pillars
The CPTPP bloc led the growth in Vietnam’s pangasius imports during the first 8 months of 2025, with export value reaching $242 million, up 36% year-on-year - the highest among all market groups. Japan, Canada, Mexico and Chile recorded stable demand, particularly for high-quality fillets and deeply processed products. The primary reason is the near-zero tariff benefits under the CPTPP agreement which gives Vietnamese pangasius a clear pricing edge over competing species such as pollock and tilapia. Additionally, these markets require clear quality standards and traceability that many Vietnamese enterprises have successfully met, thereby increasing the average order value.
Beyond CPTPP, South America is also proving to be an increasingly attractive destination. By the end of August 2025, exports to Brazil – considered the gateway to the region - reached $118 million, surging 54% compared to the previous year, driven by rising demand as a substitute for local tilapia and growing consumer familiarity with pangasius. Colombia and Chile maintain stable imports, further expanding Vietnam’s footprint in the region. Both CPTPP and South America not only offset the decline from China but also offer opportunities for higher profits through quality orders, better payment terms and higher margins. These two markets are emerging as the “twin growth engines” for Vietnamese pangasius.
Second half of 2025: A strategic window for market restructuring
In the second half of 2025, the supply of raw pangasius is tightening, while export prices show signs of recovery in Q4. This presents an opportunity for enterprises to exporters to contracts in fast-growing markets such as CPTPP and South America, capitalizing on the year-end holiday season. Meanwhile, the U.S and EU will continue to serve as stable markets with high sustainability standards, compelling the pangasius industry to elevate quality to maintain market share.
The ASEAN market also remains promising, with pangasius exports to Thailand reaching $52 million (+31%) and to the Philippines $26 million (+31%) in the first eight months of 2025.
If enterprises can consolidate their position across the three key pillars - CPTPP, South America and traditional markets U.S., EU, and ASEAN) - Vietnam’s pangasius industry will achieve a multi-polar market structure, reducing reliance on any single market and enhancing resilience against global trade fluctuations.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached nearly US$1.1 billion in June 2026, up 21.0% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first half of 2026 totaled nearly US$5.8 billion, representing a 12.8% increase compared with the same period last year. Exports to China and Hong Kong continued to accelerate, while shipments to the United States rebounded strongly in June. In contrast, exports to the EU, Japan, and the Middle East remained sluggish or recorded slight declines.
(vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is playing an increasingly important role in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, driven not only by growing market opportunities but also by its ability to meet increasingly stringent requirements on quality, food safety, and traceability. In practice, tilapia farming in Vietnam is not a spontaneous or loosely regulated activity; rather, it operates under a comprehensive legal and technical framework covering the entire value chain—from hatcheries and farming to processing and exports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.9 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 12% compared with the same period last year. Amid continued volatility in the global seafood market, this result demonstrates that the shrimp sector has maintained positive growth momentum, supported by improving demand in several Asian markets, particularly China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On June 16, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province announced that the locality has established a farming area code for nearly 30,400 hectares of mud crab aquaculture and granted export facility codes to five enterprises eligible to export mud crab officially to markets such as China, Cambodia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The United States remains one of the largest export markets for Vietnamese pangasius. In the first four months of 2026, pangasius exports to the US reached USD 106 million, up 4% compared to the same period in 2025. In April 2026 alone, export value totaled USD 38 million, marking a 20% year-on-year increase and the first positive growth recorded after an extended period of decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While Vietnam’s shrimp exports to many major markets continued to post positive growth in the first months of 2026, exports to the United States declined, highlighting growing competitive pressures and trade barriers facing the Vietnamese shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Egypt is emerging as one of the most promising destinations for Vietnamese tuna exports in 2026. During the first four months of the year, export turnover to this market exceeded USD 7.3 million, marking a sharp increase compared to the same period over the previous two years. As Egypt’s tuna imports continue to recover and demand for canned tuna remains strong, the market is becoming increasingly attractive for Vietnamese tuna processors and exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to CPTPP member countries reached nearly USD 128 million, accounting for 18% of the country’s total pangasius export value and increasing by 21% compared to the same period in 2025. Demand patterns varied significantly across the bloc: Mexico primarily imported fresh and frozen pangasius products, while Japan and Canada recorded substantial shares of processed products. Australia remained focused on frozen fillets but continued to maintain a portion of processed imports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Despite the slow recovery of the U.S. market and continued trade-related challenges facing Vietnam’s shrimp industry, Minh Phu Seafood Corporation (MPC) has set ambitious targets for 2026. The company aims to produce 68,800 metric tons of finished shrimp products, generate consolidated revenue of VND 19.9 trillion, and achieve VND 1.059 trillion in pre-tax profit. If achieved, these figures would represent the highest revenue and profit levels in the company’s history.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) HungHau Foods Joint Stock Company (HungHau Foods) has been honored at the 33rd Asia-Pacific Economic Forum, receiving two prestigious awards: “Top 10 Outstanding Asia-Pacific Enterprises 2026” and “Top 10 Outstanding Entrepreneurs” awarded to HungHau Foods CEO, Ms. Nguyen Yen.
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