Pangasius exports strive to reach the finish line

The target of achieving an export turnover of 2 billion USD in 2025 is an important milestone, demonstrating the aspiration of the Vietnamese pangasius industry to make a breakthrough in the context of the volatile world market. To "reach the finish line", export enterprises are focusing all their efforts on expanding markets, improving product quality, strengthening the chain of links and adapting to new technical barriers.

Businesses market products to foreign partners. Photo: MINH HIEN

Expanding the market

In recent times, pangasius enterprises have expanded their presence in key markets such as the US, China, Hong Kong and the EU, while at the same time, promoting access to new markets, niche markets and market groups with FTAs ​​with Vietnam. This is considered a proactive and mandatory direction in the context of strong economic differentiation in the world and many markets applying new regulations related to green standards, emissions and traceability.

A significant advantage is that inventories in major markets have decreased, the US economy has recovered, and some trade fluctuations such as many US importers switching to Vietnamese pangasius when tariffs on Chinese tilapia increased. Businesses quickly seized this “market gap” to maintain export output and increase orders.

Among the pioneering enterprises opening new markets, Nam Viet Joint Stock Company (NAVICO) has made a clear mark in the South American region. On July 5, 2025, in the capital city of Brasília (Brazil), NAVICO officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement with AV09 Comercio Exporter Ltda - one of Brazil's major food importers. The event took place within the framework of the Vietnam - Brazil business forum, witnessed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and senior leaders of the two countries.

At the forum, NAVICO is the Vietnamese enterprise that officially supplied the first batch of tra, basa and tilapia fish to the Brazilian market. This is not just a normal export deal but a strategic first step, marking the presence of Vietnamese seafood in the market of more than 215 million people - considered the gateway to all of South America. Mr. Doan Toi - General Director of Nam Viet Group commented: "Conquering JBS is a testament to the processing capacity, product quality and position of Vietnamese enterprises on the world seafood map".

Vietnamese pangasius and tilapia products are present in the distribution system of JBS - a large food retail chain in South America, showing that Vietnamese products are penetrating deeper into the global market, reducing dependence on traditional markets. Along with opening the market, many businesses focus on developing value-added products such as: breaded pangasius, canned pangasius, gelatin, collagen from by-products... to increase profit margins, reduce the impact of tariffs and improve competitiveness in the context of increasingly strict importer requirements.

Improve product quality

Along with the efforts of businesses, management agencies have coordinated to implement many solutions to improve the quality of the pangasius value chain from breeding to processing. The focus is on improving the quality of breeding, controlling biosafety and meeting the technical requirements of the import market. “With the guidance of scientists, breeding facilities continue to select and breed to improve the quality of breeding, increase disease resistance and better adapt to climate change. This is a key factor in reducing risks in farming, stabilizing supply and ensuring the quality of output products,” said Ms. Trinh Thi Lan, a pangasius breeder in Chau Phu commune.

In terms of production linkage, businesses and farmers are gradually perfecting the closed production - processing - consumption chain towards industrial, large scale, limiting the risk of disruption and optimizing costs. Many businesses are researching to replace expensive input materials (fish meal, fish oil) with plant or microalgae sources to reduce feed costs - the biggest cost in pangasius farming.

In terms of technology, some businesses have piloted the RAS recirculating farming system model, which helps save water, control the farming environment and reduce emissions. Mr. Tran Van On - a resident of Vinh Xuong commune shared: "The application of RAS initially brought about efficiency, contributing to reducing input costs for products". To meet new requirements from the import market, businesses must also comply with standards on emissions, food safety, and traceability according to international commitments such as COP26. This is a barrier, but also a driving force for the pangasius value chain to transform green more quickly and systematically.

The coordination between businesses and management agencies in removing technical barriers, taking advantage of FTAs, strengthening processing capacity, expanding markets, etc. is creating an important foundation for the tra fish industry to reach the export turnover target of 2 billion USD in 2025.

“Although Brazil is not a traditional market for the Vietnamese pangasius industry, this country is considered a strategic gateway to access deeper into the MERCOSUR market - an economic bloc including Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. With a strategic vision and strong implementation capacity, NAVICO has proactively seized the opportunity to expand the market, gradually realizing the goal of diversifying output and reducing dependence on traditional export markets,” said Mr. Duong Nghia Quoc - Chairman of the Vietnam Pangasius Association.

MINH HIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/xuat-khau-ca-tra-no-luc-ve-dich-a469731.html