Leveraging the advantages of a tropical climate, vast water surface areas, and a surging global demand for tilapia consumption, Vietnam is making concerted efforts to expand the production and export of this fish species. Nevertheless, challenges related to seed quality, infrastructure, and processing still require comprehensive solutions to enhance economic value and competitiveness. The seminar "Solutions for Organizing Production and Export of Tilapia in 2025" has paved the way for new directions in Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
Immense potential of the tilapia industry
Tilapia, renowned for its flavorful white flesh and high nutritional value, is emerging as one of the most sought-after aquatic species globally. According to reports presented at the seminar, global tilapia production in 2024 reached approximately 7 million tons, marking a 5% increase compared to 2023. China leads in production, followed by Indonesia and Egypt. Over the past 15 years, global tilapia consumption has grown at an average annual rate of 5.4%, reflecting a rising preference for this fish in major markets such as the United States, the European Union, Japan, and the Middle East.
In Vietnam, tilapia is cultivated across nearly all regions, with a particular concentration in the Mekong Delta, where water surface areas dedicated to aquaculture span up to 3,300 hectares. In 2024, the nationwide tilapia farming area reached approximately 42,000 hectares, yielding Ascending to 316,000 tons, a significant increase from 19,219 hectares in 2012. The export turnover of tilapia reached USD 30.9 million, with the first two months of 2025 alone recording USD 7 million. These figures underscore the substantial potential of the tilapia industry, while simultaneously highlighting limitations that must be addressed to maximize economic value.
Speaking at the seminar, Mr. Trần Đình Luân, Director General of the Department of Fisheries and Suveilance, emphasized: “Tilapia possesses numerous favorable conditions for development, from the potential to increase production to robust domestic and international consumption demand. Notably, integrating or rotating tilapia farming with brackish water shrimp not only yields high quality products but also aids in controlling shrimp diseases, aligning with the context of climate change and saltwater intrusion in Vietnam.”
Advantages and challenges in tilapia production
Vietnam boasts numerous advantages for developing its tilapia industry. The tropical climate is conducive to tilapia farming, with short production cycles of only 5 to 6 months. Extensive water surface areas, particularly in the Mekong Delta, combined with low farming costs facilitated by tarpaulin pond technology and Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), have boosted productivity and mitigated disease risks. Furthermore, tilapia is an easy-to-farm species, requiring minimal complex techniques, making it suitable for both small-scale farmers and large enterprises.
However, the tilapia industry in Vietnam faces several challenges. The quality of tilapia seeds is inconsistent, with a limited supply of high-quality seeds, making it difficult for commercial tilapia products to meet export standards. Infrastructure in farming areas lacks synchronized investment, while deep processing capabilities remain weak, resulting in most products serving the domestic market at low value. According to VASEP, Vietnam’s tilapia products are primarily exported in raw form, with few value-added products such as fillets, smoked fish, or snacks.
Another challenge is the intense competition in the international market. Countries like China, Indonesia, and Brazil not only boast large production volumes but also employ advanced technologies and robust trade promotion strategies. Meanwhile, Vietnam has yet to fully capitalize on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to reduce export tariffs, particularly for markets like the United States and the European Union.
Solutions to promote the development of the tilapia industry
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Photo 2: The seminar saw enthusiastic participation from various departments, agencies, businesses, and farmers within the tilapia value chain.
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During the seminar, experts and businesses proposed numerous solutions to enhance tilapia production and export capabilities, with strong consensus on strategic directions. VASEP emphasized that to propel the tilapia industry forward, efforts must focus on improving seed quality, optimizing farming technologies, achieving self-sufficiency in feed, advancing deep processing, and establishing transparent supply chains, alongside intensifying trade promotion.
Specifically, research and development of high-quality tilapia strains, particularly GIFT and TiLV-resistant strains, will enhance disease resistance and productivity. Concurrently, adopting Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and tarpaulin ponds is encouraged to boost output while minimizing environmental impacts. To reduce production costs, collaborating with feed production enterprises to achieve domestic feed self-sufficiency is a practical solution, potentially saving up to 15% in costs and ensuring compliance with export standards.
In terms of processing, investing in automated production lines for tilapia fillets, alongside value-added products like smoked fish, snacks, or ready-to-eat foods, will better cater to the diverse demands of international markets, thereby elevating export value. To meet the stringent standards of the EU and U.S. markets, applying blockchain technology for traceability is a significant step, ensuring transparency and securing international certifications such as ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) and BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices).
Moreover, increasing participation in international trade fairs, negotiating tariff exemptions with major markets, and developing promotional strategies targeting high-potential markets like the EU, U.S., Japan, and the Middle East are seen as key to expanding market share. Learning from the experiences of countries like Brazil and Egypt was also suggested to refine production and export models.
Additionally, VASEP called on the government to implement specific support policies, including land lease funds, corporate income tax exemptions, aquaculture insurance funds, and trade defense measures to counter anti-dumping lawsuits. Simultaneously, providing technical training, offering preferential loans, and fostering tight-knit value chains among farmers, businesses, and regulatory agencies will form the foundation for ensuring the sustainable development of the tilapia industry.
Strategic directions toward 2030
Developing the tilapia industry not only contributes to diversifying aquaculture species but also aligns with Vietnam’s Fisheries Development Strategy to 2030. According to Mr. Trần Đình Luân, expanding tilapia farming areas, enhancing product quality, and boosting exports will increase economic value, generate employment, and improve livelihoods, particularly in the Mekong Delta.
Currently, pioneering companies like De Heus have begun investing in closed-loop tilapia production chains, encompassing seed supply, feed, processing, and exports. While still small in scale, these efforts have created momentum for other businesses to join, opening opportunities for Vietnamese tilapia to reach far on the global market.
Vietnam’s tilapia industry stands before a significant opportunity to increase production and export value, thanks to natural advantages, strong market demand, and advancements in aquaculture technology. However, realizing this potential requires close coordination among the government, businesses, and farmers to address limitations in seeds, infrastructure, and processing. With synchronized solutions and long-term strategies, tilapia will not only become a flagship product of Vietnam’s fisheries sector but also contribute to affirming the country’s position on the global seafood export map.
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