Pangasius exports to Germany should focus on price and quality: association

Vietnam's pangasius shipments to Germany fell 43% year-on-year in December 2023 to $1.8 million, so to help the industry bounce back, exporters to this market must focus on both quality and pricing, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Germany consumed $38 million of Vietnamese pangasius in 2023, a 31% increase from 2022. Like many other nations, Germany mostly imports frozen pangasius fillets from Vietnam. In 2023, this market was expected to increase its imports of frozen pangasius fillets by 34% over 2022, accounting for 97% of the total, according to VASEP.

In 2023, pangasius shipments to Germany fluctuated from month to month. In the first five months of 2023, Germany's imports of Vietnamese pangasius surged between 20% and 130%, but export orders to Germany fell 46% year-on-year in June 2023, totaling $1.6 million.

After a three-month dip, pangasius consumption in Europe's largest economy surged 2.5 times more than that in the same period in 2022. In September and October 2023, the value of pangasius exports to Germany reached its highest level in two years, at $5.6 million and $6.3 million, respectively, up 149% and 144% year-on-year.

The German economic picture in the first two months of the third quarter of 2023 improved, thus influencing the country's import operations, particularly pangasius imports.

Experts predict a 1.3% increase in the German economy in 2024. Although Germany's economy is improving, consumers are still hesitant to shop. As a result, distribution chain importers are becoming increasingly concerned about price competition in Germany. In 2024, price competitiveness will be one of Germany's top concerns.

In addition to pricing, the EU, including Germany, will adopt import controls in 2024, with a focus on the circular economy, sustainable development, and green and clean development. Therefore, product quality and competitiveness need more attention.