At a forum on tilapia production and Consumption Development held in Hai Phong city on October 17, a representative of the Directorate of Fisheries and Fishery Surveillance under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said Vietnam earned over US$63.3 million from tilapia exports (including red tilapia) over the past eight months of 2025, up 174% from the same period last year. This figure exceeded the country’s total tilapia export value recorded in any single year since 2020.

Experts noted that tilapia has long been a key aquaculture species receiving strong attention and investment, but only in recent years has its output and export value experienced remarkable growth. Tilapia is emerging as a promising export product alongside shrimp and tra fish.

Như Van Can, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Fisheries and Fishery Surveillance, stressed that “the real opportunity for tilapia development has only appeared recently. The context of trade competition, tariff barriers, and especially the reopening of the US market have created favorable conditions for the tilapia sector. Some southern enterprises have shifted up to 40% of their tra fish farming areas to tilapia farming for exports, forming a closed supply chain covering feed production, processing, and exports.”

By 2030, Vietnam’s tilapia farming area could expand to 40,000 hectares, with an output of around 400,000 tons, provided that favorable conditions and effective technologies are ensured.

New opportunity for Vietnam’s tilapia exports

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to Brazil in July has opened the door for Vietnam’s seafood industry, particularly tilapia exports.