Pangasius imports into the European Union

In 2023, total imports of pangasius into the European Union declined sharply from the previous year. In fact, some 70 000 tonnes were imported, 3 000 tonnes less than in 2022. Main supplying country was Viet Nam with a share of 90 percent of total imports, however the real share is far higher, as the second and third supplier are the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Belgium, which are mere re-exporting countries.

Germany has emerged as main consumer of pangasius fillets, as in this country, price aspects outnumber quality and taste aspects. Spain that used to be a major pangasius consumer some 10 years ago has continuously reduced its imports of this species. In 2023, the country imported 5 500 tonnes, almost 1 000 tonnes less than in the previous year.

In the first nine months of 2024, imports of the pangasius were stable at 2023 levels, some 54 000 tonnes were imported during this period into the EU. German imports of pangasius increased by 2 percent during the period to 9 200 tonnes. Spanish imports increased by 40 percent y-o-y to some 5 500 tonnes during Jan-Sep 2024.