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Photo: courtesy C.Vale
The Impact of US Tariffs Rocks the Tilapia Fish Farming Supply Chain
BRAZIL
Thursday, August 14, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)
50% tariffs on tilapia exports threaten to paralyze the industry and unleash a crisis for 20,000 workers. The industry is demanding government action.
SÃO PAULO – The Brazilian fish farming industry is in a state of emergency following the imposition of a 50% tariff by the United States, which has effectively paralyzed exports of fresh tilapia fillets. This measure has triggered a crisis that is impacting key cooperatives like C.Vale and thousands of small producers who rely on the North American market for their livelihood.
photo: C.Vale
According to the Brazilian Fish Farming Association (Peixe BR), the U.S. market was the main destination for Brazil's tilapia exports, accounting for a staggering 89% of the total volume in 2024. The tariff has made selling these products economically unsustainable, forcing the industry to redirect its production to the domestic market.
 C.Vale, one of the sector's leading cooperatives, has been severely affected. Reni Girardi, the cooperative's industrial manager, noted that the company was exporting approximately 30% of its daily production of 200,000 tilapias to the U.S. Girardi expressed grave concern for the small and medium-sized producers who lack C.Vale's diversification into other sectors like poultry and grain production. "The main concern is the small producers who lack other activities to support themselves," Girardi stated, emphasizing that the future of thousands of families is at stake.
The industry has responded with urgency, calling for immediate government action. The lobby group Abipesca has requested an emergency credit line of 900 million reais ($165 million USD) to cushion the financial blow and prevent the collapse of businesses and the loss of up to 20,000 jobs. In addition, producers are pushing for the government to resume negotiations to reopen the European Union market, which has been closed to Brazilian fish exports since 2017.
photo: C.Vale
The situation has been further complicated by the government's recent authorization to import tilapia fillets from Vietnam. Francisco Medeiros, president of Peixe BR, called the decision a "coup de grâce," warning that the influx of a cheaper product will further undermine domestic prices and put more pressure on local producers, who are already dealing with a supply surplus. Medeiros has urged the government to revoke the import authorization immediately.
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