Vietnam's tilapia exporters identify opportunities in US market

Vietnamese seafood exporters have identified a growing US market for tilapia, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said recently.

Vietnam's exports of tilapia to the US reached US$41 million in 2024, indicating a 137 per cent increase from 2023.

China has been the primary supplier of imported tilapia to the US, with 127,700 tonnes totalling US$1.405 billion in 2024 alone. However, the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff by Washington in 2018 and another 125 per cent tariff in the past week have halted Beijing's exports of the fish, forcing US importers to start considering alternative overseas sources.

VASEP Secretary General Nguyen Hoai Nam said the US had a 46 per cent share of Vietnam's tilapia exports for the first quarter of 2025, while Russia accounted for 13 per cent.

With the value of the global tilapia market forecast to reach US$14.5 billion, officials in Vietnam have been emphasising the need to further develop the fish as a major seafood export commodity in addition to shrimp and pangasius.

Tran Dinh Luan, Director General of the Vietnamese Directorate of Fisheries, said local farmers should ensure that production is organised to prevent damage and internal competition, which were among the issues that had prevented the country from benefiting from the competitive advantages offered by tilapia.