Vietnam's tilapia exports continued to grow strongly in the first half of 2026, reaching USD 69.4 million, driven by surging demand from Brazil, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
Exports to Brazil totalled USD 34.9 million, up 289-fold from the same period in 2025 and accounting for more than 50 per cent of Vietnam's total tilapia export value.
VASEP said Vietnam is well positioned to strengthen its role in the global tilapia supply chain, citing favourable climate conditions, abundant inland water resources and an increasingly developed aquaculture industry.
The country produced around 420,000 tonnes of tilapia in 2025, supported by expanding breeding, feed production and seafood processing capacity.
Vietnamese tilapia has also begun to enter higher-value market segments. A domestic exporter recently shipped its first consignment of tilapia fillets to Japan, where the fish will be used in sushi and sashimi.
The exporter said it had spent around six months developing farming and processing methods to meet the standards of the premium Japanese market. The company said the products had received positive feedback from Japanese customers for their quality and flavour.
It added that it plans to expand exports of value-added tilapia products to the United States, Canada and other international markets.
According to VASEP, Vietnam's tilapia exports increased from around USD 41 million in 2024 to USD 99.3 million in 2025 and have continued to grow this year, suggesting the industry is steadily expanding its share of the global market.
The association said tilapia remains a competitively priced white-fish protein that appeals to mass-market consumers. Demand for frozen fillets, breaded products, convenient packaged foods and other value-added seafood products is rising in the United States, the European Union, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
