Vietnamese tilapia has many advantages but has yet to break through

Mr. Nhu Van Can, Deputy Minister of the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), stated that tilapia is an economically valuable aquatic species, a high-protein food product, and is favored by both domestic and international consumers.

Regarding its development potential, this fish species has a high degree of adaptability to various ecological conditions. It can be farmed in rivers, lakes, ponds, lagoons, and even in brackish or saltwater environments, using various methods such as cage farming or direct pond culture.

In Viet Nam, tilapia farming has a history of research and development of over 20 years, with remarkable advancements in selective breeding, the creation of monosex tilapia, and the establishment of high-yield, high-quality fish strains.

Recently, the market has opened up new opportunities, creating favorable conditions for tilapia to become one of the key export products of Viet Nam’s fishery sector.

Currently, several businesses and cooperatives are boldly investing in farming, processing, and exporting tilapia, initially forming fairly effective production-consumption value chains.

Mr. Le Van Viet, Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Xuyen Viet Production and Trading Joint Stock Company, shared that Viet Nam has recently gained an advantage due to the United States imposing tariffs on tilapia products imported from China.

"This factor has helped us see the market landscape and the position of Vietnamese tilapia more clearly. This is a product that fully meets all criteria, from nutritional value, scope and target audience, to a price suitable for various consumer segments."

Xuyen Viet Company was established in 2011 and, right from the beginning, identified tilapia as the main focus of its development strategy. In the early years, the enterprise faced numerous difficulties on its own, but it persisted in advancing step by step, from producing fry and large-scale commercial farming to applying advanced technologies such as floating ponds, "river in a pond," and biofloc systems.

Recently, Xuyen Viet continued to expand and implement a zero-sludge tilapia farming model, aiming to elevate the product to "Emperor Tilapia" - a symbol of high quality and value. For Xuyen Viet, tilapia is not just an economic product but also the soul, symbolizing the company's resilience and aspiration to rise.

Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, a Standing Committee Member of the Viet Nam Fisheries Society, affirmed: "We have made great efforts to exploit and leverage the existing potential and advantages to develop the tilapia farming industry. However, the reality shows that this potential has not been fully utilized and is not commensurate with the conditions and opportunities Viet Nam currently possesses."

First, many water bodies with significant potential for aquaculture, including tilapia, have not been effectively exploited.

For example, the large reservoir system, covering nearly 200,000 hectares, can be fully utilized for fish farming, where tilapia is a highly promising species.

Second, the coastal brackish and saltwater areas also have immense development potential. Here, tilapia can be combined with various systems, and under these conditions, it can yield greater value than conventional farming models. However, we have not truly pushed strongly in this direction.

"Third, tilapia has not only asserted its position in the domestic market but also holds huge potential in the export market. Domestically, we have achieved noteworthy results. However, regarding exports, the tilapia industry is only in the phase of laying the very first foundations," Mr. Tuan added.

According to a report from the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance, in 2024 the nationwide tilapia farming area reached 42,716 hectares, with an output of over 316,000 tons and export turnover of 40 million USD.

Notably, in the first eight months of 2025, tilapia exports reached 63.3 million USD. This result shows the strong recovery and large growth potential of Viet Nam's tilapia industry, while simultaneously demanding more focused investment in breed stock, farming technology, deep processing, and the development of a national brand, aiming for sustainable development and the expansion of high-value export markets.