Brazil lifts tilapia ban and Vietnam gets excited. Photo: VASEP/FIS

Brazil Lifts Tilapia Ban, Advances Market Access for Vietnamese Pangasius

VIET NAM
Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 07:00 (GMT + 9)

Brazil has lifted its import ban on Vietnamese tilapia and is advancing market access negotiations for pangasius, offering promising opportunities for Vietnam's seafood sector. The announcement, reported by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), marks a positive shift in bilateral trade relations and could significantly boost seafood exports to South America’s largest economy.

The tilapia ban was originally implemented on February 14, 2024, following concerns about the Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV), based on Decision No. 270 issued by Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA). While tilapia exports from Vietnam to Brazil have historically been minimal, the move sets the stage for broader cooperation in aquatic trade.

Tilapia fillet from Vietnam

The Brazilian Fish Farming Association (Peixe BR) expressed, through an official statement, its disagreement with the decision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) to revoke the suspension of the import of tilapia from Vietnam. According to the entity, the measure ignores health warnings and puts national aquaculture health and consumer food safety at risk.

Among the critical points highlighted by Peixe BR is the presence of the TiLV virus (Tilapia Lake Virus) in batches from Vietnam. The entity also questions industrial practices in the Asian country that would not be in compliance with Brazilian health requirements.

“The revocation of the suspension, without guarantees that the risks have been fully mitigated, is a threat to the health security of Brazilian consumers,” the note states.

Pangasius, however, plays a central role in Vietnam’s seafood exports to Brazil. Over 90% of Brazil’s seafood imports from Vietnam are pangasius products, predominantly frozen fillets under HS code 0304. According to Vietnam Customs, pangasius exports to Brazil reached $55 million by mid-April 2025, a 67% increase compared to the same period in 2024. In the first half of April alone, exports rose 31% year-on-year, further solidifying Brazil’s position as Vietnam’s third-largest pangasius market, after China and the U.S.

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Negotiations are now focused on finalizing technical protocols that would allow the full importation of pangasius fillets under internationally recognized standards. This development could lead to greater product diversification and stronger long-term trade ties.

Industry insiders note that the Brazilian market has traditionally favored frozen pangasius fillets, with very limited imports of value-added or dried pangasius products. This trend remained consistent in Q1 2025, where exports of frozen fillets accounted for nearly 100% of the volume.

Vietnam's Frozen Pangasius Fillet in Brazil

Nam Viet Joint Stock Company leads Vietnamese exporters in the Brazilian market, accounting for 14% of total pangasius export value to the country.

Brazil’s growing demand for Vietnamese seafood aligns with a broader bilateral trade objective: increasing trade turnover to $15 billion by 2030. The reopening of the tilapia market and deeper integration of pangasius into Brazilian supply chains represent critical steps toward achieving this goal.

Source: Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam Customs

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