Raw pangasius prices in Viet Nam are sustaining their high levels thanks to high demand for exports, according to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

In key farming areas in the southern province of Dong Thap, raw pangasius is currently selling at VND 32,000 to 34,000 per kilogram (USD 1.21 to 1.29, EUR 1.00 to EUR 1.11), with prices briefly peaking at VND 35,000 (USD 1.33, EUR 1.14) per kilogram earlier this year. At these rates, farmers can secure a profit of between VND 5,000 and VND 8,000 (USD 0.19 and USD 0.30, EUR 0.16 and EUR 0.26) per kilogram after deducting production costs, according to VASEP.

In comparison, in May 2025, pangasius prices in Dong Thap stood between VND 30,800 and VND 31,200 (USD 1.17 and USD 1.18, EUR 1.00 and EUR 1.01) per kilogram, VASEP data showed.

The price increase, according to VASEP, has been primarily driven by a shortage of raw material supplies coupled with a strong recovery in pangasius export processing demand. Major markets, including China, the E.U., ASEAN, and the Middle East, are ramping up imports, forcing processing companies to accelerate raw material purchases to fulfill contracts.

Local farmers in Dong Thap said that this is a rare period of high profitability for the pangasius industry following a prolonged spell of depressed prices and rising input costs.

Though farmers have enjoyed short-term profits, skyrocketing fingerling prices are introducing new financial pressures for farmers. Fingerling prices reached as high as VND 70,000 to VND 100,000 (USD 2.66 to USD 3.80, EUR 2.28 to EUR 3.26) per kilogram earlier this year, making many farmers hesitant to restock due to fears of market price volatility, VASEP said.

In response to the supply crunch, pangasius processing companies are expanding their own farming areas to ensure a stable supply. Several large producers in the region have established hundreds of hectares of linked farming zones to reduce reliance on external sourcing amid the market shortage, the VASEP said.

Latest customs data showed that Viet Nam exported pangasius worth USD 206 million (EUR 176.9 million) in April, which was up 18 percent year over year. China was still the largest buyer of pangasius from Viet Nam in April, followed by the U.S., VASEP said.

The total pangasius export value for the first four months of the year was USD 720 million (EUR 618.4 million), rising 17 percent from the same period last year.

Source: Seafoodsource