According to figures released by the General Department of Customs, pangasius exports to Colombia in August alone brought in more than US$6 million, an increase of 37% compared to August, 2023. Since the beginning of this year, the South American nation recorded the highest import value in August. Cumulative pangasius exports during the eight-month span to this market reached US$35 million, an increase of 44% over the same period from last year.

According to data compiled by the International Trade Center (ITC), in the first half of the year, there were a total of nine suppliers of white fish to Colombia. Of which, Vietnam was the largest supplier of white fish (mainly pangasius) to Colombia with nearly US$19 million, up 15% on-year.

The country accounted for 66% of the total whitefish that the Colombian side imported from the world throughout the first half of this year.

China represents the second largest supplier of whitefish to Colombia after the Vietnam with a share of 32%. The import value of whitefish from Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, the United States, Uruguay, Panama, and Chile to Colombia is almost negligible and tends to record 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, making up 30% of the proportion; frozen catfish fillets, HS code 030462, constituting 20% of the total value of white fish imported by this nation from the world.

Colombian consumers are very fond of frozen pangasius and catfish products with the HS code 030324. In the first half of the year, the country imported more than US$12 million of products with the HS code 030324 from the Vietnamese market, up 27% on-year, accounting for 98% of the total value of Colombia's imports of this product from the world.

Colombia makes up the fourth largest economy in Latin America and is also an advanced freshwater aquaculture country in South America that boasts strong tilapia products. However, the country still maintains stable imports of frozen pangasius products from the nation.

Export value to this lucrative market is even 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 saw a total of 18 enterprises exporting white fish (mainly pangasius) to Colombia during the past eight months of this year.

Vinh Tien is recognized as the enterprise exporting the most pangasius to this market, accounting for 45% of the total export value to Colombia.

Elsewhere, Nam Viet at 23%, Cadovimex II at 8%, Ben Tre Seafood at 6%, and Phat Tien Seafood at 5% were all behind Vinh Tien as the top enterprises exporting the most pangasius to the Colombian market.

Source: VOV