Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – At the 2025 work summary and 2026 key task deployment meeting for the pangasius industry, To Thi Huong Lan, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), revealed that pangasius exports are projected to reach nearly US$2.2 billion in 2025.
Brazil has become a successful market for Vietnam's pangasius industry in 2025, with a growth rate of 35% and a market share of 8%.
China remains a pillar market for Vietnam's pangasius industry, but growth has fallen short of expectations, with a market share of 27% and an increase of approximately 2.3%. The CPTPP market has become a highlight for Vietnam's pangasius industry, with a market share of 17% and exports of approximately US$340 million, a year-on-year increase of 37%; among them, Mexico, Malaysia, and Japan have seen particularly strong growth.
The US market share is 15%, a decrease of 3.3%. The EU market share is approximately 8%, remaining generally stable over the past three years.
Thailand, Egypt, and Japan are also potential markets for Vietnam's pangasius exports.
Based on market trends in 2025 and the anticipated tight supply of white-fleshed fish in 2026, To Thi Huong Lan predicts that Vietnam's pangasius exports will reach approximately US$2.3 billion in 2026, a 5% increase compared to 2025. The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASOPs) is expected to conduct promotional activities in China and Europe. Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment, pointed out that although the pangasius industry is less than 35 years old, it has developed into a significant sector with large-scale, commercialized production and strong exports.
Against the backdrop of global economic fluctuations, this industry has become one of the key pillars driving the remarkable growth of Vietnam's seafood sector.
Currently, the pangasius farming area in Vietnam remains at 6,400 hectares. Pangasius production in 2025 is estimated at approximately 1.67 million tons, contributing about US$2.1 billion to agricultural, forestry, and fishery product exports.
When assessing changes in the pangasius export market structure, Phung Duc Tien emphasized that the Chinese market now accounts for over 22%, surpassing the US market (currently around 20%). Thanks to the timely and effective response from the relevant authorities, Vietnam's pangasius exports to the European market have seen strong growth, expected to reach approximately US$9 billion, significantly higher than the previous year's level of approximately US$5.4 billion. (End)
