A Vietnamese fish species is loved by Americans, 'closing the deal' worth tens of millions of USD

Not billion-dollar catfish, American customers are crazy about and are rushing to buy tilapia from Vietnam. Thanks to that, the export of this popular fish species has recorded rapid growth.

According to information from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in 2024, Vietnam's tilapia exports (including red tilapia) will reach 41 million USD, a sharp increase of 138% compared to 2023.

Of which, red tilapia exports reached 13 million USD, up 20% and tilapia exports reached 28 million USD, a sudden increase of 348% compared to 2023.

Notably, tilapia exports to US market in 2024 reached 19 million USD, a rapid growth of 572%. In addition, the export of this fish to Japan also doubled compared to 2023.

In just the first three months of 2025, tilapia exports reached nearly 14 million USD, an impressive increase of 131% over the same period last year. Of which, exports to the US reached more than 6 million USD, 3 times higher than the same period last year, accounting for 46% of export turnover and being the largest consumer market for Vietnamese tilapia.

Products exported to this market mainly include whole frozen fish, frozen fillets and other types of fish meat.

Tilapia exports to the US market have grown rapidly. Photo: NNVN

VASEP also said that the global tilapia market size will reach 10.6 billion USD in 2024 and is forecast to reach 14.5 billion USD in 2033. Global tilapia production will reach about 7 million tons in 2024 and is expected to reach 7.3 million tons in 2025.

At many international aquaculture conferences, tilapia is also called “fish of the future”. This shows that the Vietnamese tilapia industry still has great potential and opportunities to expand production scale and boost exports.

For many years, Vietnam has been the world's largest exporter of pangasius. This white-fleshed fish has many similarities with tilapia, both are raised and grown in the same environment with favorable conditions.

The tilapia farming cycle is short, only 5-6 months to reach a weight of 600-800g/fish, low cost. The Mekong Delta with a water surface area of 3,300ha can raise tilapia in combination or rotate with brackish water shrimp.

Currently, Vietnam ranks 5th in Asia in tilapia production, after China, Indonesia, Bangladesh and the Philippines.

Meanwhile, market demand is increasing as global tilapia consumption increases by 13% per year. The US alone imports about 200,000 tons per year. In addition, Vietnamese tilapia is very popular in the EU - a market that needs to meet strict conditions to import, thereby opening up export opportunities.

In addition, China's decline in tilapia supply and the US's imposition of anti-dumping tax of up to 125% on Chinese tilapia are seen as opportunities to expand market share for many countries, including Vietnam.

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