Tilapia exports nearly triple, aiming to become a new key industry

Impressive growth and vast export potential

On October 17, the Department of Fisheries and Surveillance (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) coordinated with the Hai Phong Department of Agriculture and Environment to successfully organize the forum "Developing Tilapia Production and Consumption" in Hai Phong City. The event aimed to identify solutions to build a high-value and sustainable value chain for tilapia.

According to the Department of Fisheries and Surveillance, in the first eight months of this year, Vietnam's tilapia export turnover was estimated at USD 63.3 million, nearly three times higher than the USD 23 million recorded in the same period of 2024. In 2024, the sector earned USD 41 million from a total output of 316,000 tons. Notably, Vietnam has risen to become the second-largest supplier of frozen tilapia fillets to the U.S., behind only China.

Explaining this breakthrough, Mr. Nhu Van Can, Deputy Director General of the Department of Fisheries and Surveillance (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), said that a "golden opportunity" has recently emerged as global trade competition and the tariff barriers imposed by the U.S. on certain countries have created a market gap for Vietnamese tilapia.

Seizing this opportunity, many enterprises have swiftly resumed strong investments. For instance, a major company in southern Vietnam has decided to convert 40% of its pangasius farming area to tilapia while completing a closed production chain, from seed and feed to processing and export.

According to Mr. Nhu Van Can, the fisheries sector has long sought to develop new key products to diversify and reduce risks. In fact, despite extensive research since the 1990s on high-quality tilapia varieties such as GIFT and monosex tilapia, it is only now that tilapia truly faces a significant opportunity to reach out to major markets.

"Tilapia has emerged and affirmed its position as a crucial aquaculture species for all ecological regions from the South to the North. Hai Phong City alone leads Northern provinces in tilapia production, with an annual output of over 39,000 tons. Nationally, it ranks only behind Dong Thap and Can Tho," Mr. Nhu Van Can said.

Opportunities accompanied by challenges

During the discussion session, delegates acknowledged that despite its vast potential, Vietnam’s tilapia industry still faces manychallenges. One major barrier is seed quality, with shortages of high-quality broodstock, genetic degradation, and dependence on imports. Domestic breeding programs have yet to achieve broad commercialization. In addition, complex diseases cause considerable losses, while high input costs, particularly feed, accounts for 65–70% of total production expenses.

In addition, the infrastructure in many farming areas remains nonsynchronous, making water environments vulnerable to pollution. Production is still fragmented, with a lack of close linkages across stages, from breeding and farming to processing and consumption. This shortage caused difficulties in quality control and brand development. Moreover, strict requirements on international standards (such as ASC, BAP, and VietGAP) and traceability, and fluctuating global tariffs also put enormous pressure on Vietnamese enterprises.

To overcome these limitations and help Vietnamese tilapia conquer international markets, a range of synchronous solutions has been proposed. Accordingly, the Department of Fisheries and Surveillance emphasized eight key measures, including reviewing farming area planning and investing in infrastructure; completing the high-quality seed production system; applying advanced aquaculture technologies (RAS, Biofloc) and strengthening environmental management; developing sustainable industrial feed; enhancing value chain linkages; investing in deep processing and market diversification; specifying support policies and promoting science and technology; and expanding quality certification and traceability programs.

The Research Institutes for Aquaculture No. 1 and No. 2 reported ongoing efforts in selective breeding, having successfully developed fast-growing, highly adaptable strains of striped and red tilapia. The application of molecular biotechnology such as MAS and GS is expected to produce superior strains in terms of growth and disease resistance.

Enterprises also proposed several solutions, such as tightening control over input material quality, promoting the use of sustainable raw materials, and establishing a clear positioning for the tilapia export sector by focusing on high-quality, standardized products (such as fillets and loins) while avoiding origin mixing. In addition, they stressed the need to build a stable, transparent supply chain and enhance the brand value of Vietnamese tilapia associated with sustainable raw materials.

Mr. Nhu Van Can assigned relevant units to study the delegates' recommendations and develop appropriate proposals to help address challenges and remove bottlenecks for localities, businesses, and farmers.

However, the representative of the Department also emphasized that farmers should be proactive in production and business operations, gradually shifting their mindset that attending a conference should not simply mean asking what support they will receive from the State.

"We are committed to continuing our support and listening to feedback to improve policies, creating the most favorable conditions for farmers and enterprises to thrive. With the joint efforts of all stakeholders, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is moving toward building a transparent, high-quality, and sustainable value chain, ready to conquer the most demanding markets," Mr. Can affirmed.

It can be said that building the Vietnamese Tilapia brand, aligned with the principles of "clean–sustainable–traceable–value-added," is a crucial step. Therefore, closer coordination between the State, scientists, enterprises, and farmers will be essential in the coming period to form a closed value chain, alongside support policies on credit access, surface water rent reductions, infrastructure investment, and technological innovation, thereby helping the tilapia industry make a breakthrough and seize its "golden opportunity" in the global market.

With strong growth potential, Vietnam’s tilapia export turnover is expected to exceed USD 100 million by 2027. The country aims to make tilapia its third key seafood product, following shrimp and pangasius. By 2030, the total tilapia farming area nationwide is projected to reach 43,000–45,000 hectares, with an annual output of 350,000 tons.