This trade promotion initiative took place against the backdrop of robust growth in Vietnam's pangasius and tilapia exports to this strategic market.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the association organized the Vietnam National Pavilion at the event held in São Paulo (Brazil) from October 20 to October 22.
The pavilion featured nine leading seafood exporters aiming to promote products, seek strategic business partners, and expand export market share in South America.
The fifth edition of the annual exhibition attracted approximately 4,500 professional visitors alongside more than 100 retailers, processing firms, distributors, and global trade enterprises. Participating Vietnamese companies displayed a diverse array of products, including pangasius, tilapia, shrimp, tuna, dried seafood, processed convenience foods, and value-added marine products.
With the core message “Vietnamese Seafood - A Sustainable Destination,” the promotion focused on highlighting production and processing capabilities while fostering direct partnerships with regional distribution networks.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi praised the trade connection efforts, emphasizing that seafood remains a major export pillar of Vietnam.
Vietnam’s total seafood export turnover reached $11.3 billion in 2025 and nearly $5.8 billion in the first six months of 2026. Key products like shrimp, pangasius, and tilapia hold distinct competitive advantages in processing technology, origin traceability, and sustainable development commitment.
Ambassador Bui Van Nghi noted that as Vietnam and Brazil elevated bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership, commercial trade cooperation holds vast development potential. Ongoing negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Vietnam and the MERCOSUR block are expected to facilitate smoother trade flows.
To capitalize on seafood cooperation, Ambassador Bui Van Nghi proposed three key priorities: enhancing direct connections between Vietnamese producers and Brazilian retail networks, collaborating to eliminate technical barriers regarding quarantine and cold chain logistics, and expanding technology sharing in sustainable aquaculture and deep processing.
Brazil has emerged as an exceptionally fast-growing market for Vietnamese seafood. Vietnam Customs statistics show that Brazil recorded the highest export turnover growth rate among Vietnam’s top 15 export markets in the first nine months of 2026, surging by 53.2 percent. In 2025, seafood exports to Brazil reached $188.9 million, up 46.3 percent year-on-year. Pangasius maintained its dominant role, generating $176 million and accounting for 93 percent of total seafood export value to Brazil.
Notably, tilapia has emerged as a high-growth item. In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnamese tilapia exports to Brazil reached $44 million, representing nearly half of Vietnam’s total national tilapia export turnover and making Brazil the largest import market for Vietnamese tilapia.
During the trade mission, VASEP and the Vietnam Trade Office in Brazil also conducted working sessions with JBS Group to explore commercial food cooperation, particularly for Vietnamese tilapia. Through the exhibition, Vietnamese businesses expect to enhance product visibility, expand buyer networks, and capitalize on growing import demand across Latin America.
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