Vietnam is the largest supplier of pangasius to Colombia.

In the first 8 months of this year, Vietnam's pangasius exports to the Colombian market reached 35 million USD, accounting for more than half of the market share in the Colombian whitefish market.

According to data of According to the General Department of Customs, pangasius exports to Colombia in August 2024 reached more than 6 million USD, an increase of 37% compared to August 2023. Since the beginning of this year, Colombia recorded the highest import value in August 2024. Cumulative pangasius exports in the first 8 months of this year to this market reached 35 million USD, an increase of 44% over the same period last year.

Vietnam is the largest supplier of pangasius to Colombia. Photo: VASEP

According to data from the International Trade Center (ITC), in the first 6 months of 2024, there were a total of 9 suppliers of whitefish to Colombia. Of which, Vietnam was the largest supplier of whitefish (mainly pangasius) to Colombia, with nearly 19 million USD, up 15% over the same period last year. Vietnam accounted for 66% of the total whitefish imported by Colombia from the world in the first half of this year.

China is the second largest supplier of whitefish to Colombia after Vietnam with a share of 32%. The import value of whitefish from Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, the US, Uruguay, Panama, and Chile to Colombia is almost negligible and tends to have negative growth.

Some of the white fish products imported the most by Colombia in the first half of this year include: frozen pangasius, catfish HS code 030324 accounting for 44% of the proportion; frozen tilapia fillets HS code 030461 accounting for 30% of the proportion; frozen catfish fillets HS code 030462 accounting for 20% of the total value of white fish imported by this country from the world.

Consumers in Colombia are very fond of the product. Pangasius, frozen catfish HS code 030324. In the first half of this year, this country imported more than 12 million USD of products with HS code 030324 from Vietnam, an increase of 27% over the same period last year, accounting for 98% of the total value of Colombia's imports of this product from the world.

Colombia is the fourth largest economy in Latin America and is also an advanced freshwater aquaculture country in South America with strong tilapia products. However, Colombia still maintains stable imports of frozen pangasius products from Vietnam. Export value to this market is more positive in the last months of the year, when hotels and restaurants increase their demand for stockpiling to serve holidays and year-end festivals.

Vietnam has 18 participating enterprises. export white fish (mainly pangasius) to Colombia in the first 8 months of this year. Vinh Tien is the enterprise that exports the most pangasius to this market, accounting for 45% of the total export value to Colombia; Nam Viet 23%, Cadovimex II 8%, Ben Tre Seafood 6%, Phat Tien Seafood 5% are respectively behind Vinh Tien, being the top enterprises exporting the most pangasius to the Colombian market.

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