A decrease in China’s supply prompts Vietnamese feed producers in North Vietnam to fast-track tilapia farming. An AAP report.
Prior to 2023, the US implemented substantial tariffs on tilapia imports from China. Tariffs under Section 301 trade actions reached 25%, with an additional 20% introduced earlier this year, resulting in a cumulative rate of 45%. These measures primarily impact frozen fillets, which account for 82% of US tilapia imports. In response to these developments and an increasingly uncertain tilapia trade, Chinese exporters have begun to scale back shipments to the US while seeking opportunities in European and African markets.
Although US per capita tilapia consumption has declined since 2015, the fish is one of the top four seafood choices at 1.04 lbs (0.47 kg) per person. In 2023, the US imported 50,000 tonnes of whole frozen tilapia (80% from China) and 94,000 tonnes of frozen fillets (90% from China). In May 2024, imports of frozen tilapia fillets from China fell by 18%.
Even at the original 25% tariff, tilapia farmers in China were facing hardship. The cost of tilapia production was increasing in China, such that many farmers decided to stop farming. This situation affected the livelihoods of farmers and others in the supply chain (Zhang, 2023).
Vietnam’s tilapia strategy
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) of Vietnam, now integrated into the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, spearheaded this initiative. The 2021 plan targeted a production of 400,000 tonnes of tilapia by 2030, with the objective of establishing tilapia as Vietnam’s second major freshwater export commodity. As a result, Vietnam has been steadily enhancing its tilapia production capabilities and increasing exports of frozen tilapia—both whole and fillet—to the US and other international markets.
Vietnam’s tilapia farmers view China’s reduced supply as an opportunity to access the US market, especially since Vietnamese tilapia previously entered tariff-free before the imposition of new tariffs by the Trump administration. North Vietnam’s tilapia farming methods are influenced by practices in South China. A few livestock feed producers are considering expanding into tilapia feed production and farming in the region.
Tilapia farming in North Vietnam
North Vietnam accounts for a large share of the country’s 30,000ha of tilapia farms and 1.2 million m³ of cage volume. In the provinces around Hanoi, there is the polyculture of black tilapia in ponds with the Chinese carps, while monoculture of red tilapia is in cages in river systems. Heavily involved in livestock feed production and farming, Dabaco Group Joint Stock Company farms red tilapia as well as common carp, channel catfish and sturgeon in 100 cages in the river Duong, Bac Ninh Province.
Tilapia production from 6m x 9m X 3m cages ranges from 5-7 tonnes/cage to 9-10 tonnes/cage. Nguyen Quang Thai, Farm Manager, noted:
“We can raise more fish per cage, but a higher stocking density increases costs because the feed conversion ratio (FCR) rises.”
Production is scheduled for harvests before the Vietnamese New Year (Tết, late January) and in summer. The first crop begins in April, the second in September. Fish are harvested at up to 1kg, with each cycle lasting 10–12 months.
Thai stocks 8,000–10,000 fry (12–15g) per cage, growing them up to 200g in 3 months at 70% survival, then moves them to two cages at 3,500–4,000 fish each. Harvesting is when fish reaches 1 kg, usually over a 10 month cycle. The survival rate is 85%. Production costs USD1.13/kg, with USD1.00 spent on feed.
Streptococcus poses a significant risk during the summer months. Between June and October, temperatures vary from 28 to 29.5°C, which can lead up to 70% mortality. Antibiotics are used as treatment, and in May, the farm reduces stocking density and adds health additives. Other pathogens include Aeromonas and various viruses. Fish are not vaccinated. A notable Streptococcus agalactiae outbreak occurred in 2010 (Dong, 2011). In winter, there is concern regarding the growth of fry to 200g fish.
Feed producer, Viet Nhat Technology Nutrition Joint Stock Company operates two farms – 18ha in Hai Duong and 10ha in Nhan Dinh. Tilapia farming began in 2024, using 4–6ha ponds with depths of 2.2–2.5m. Nguyen Van Dai, Farm Manager and former RIA1 scientist, stocks 7–8 fish/m2 (10–20g each), harvesting 700g fish after four months in summer and 4.5 months in winter. Temperatures range from 36–37°C in summer to as low as 14°C in winter.
Nguyen Dan Ngoc, Nutrition Manager at Viet Nhat, explained that they start feeding fish under 100g with 40% CP feeds, followed by 35% CP feeds for 100-200g fish and then 31-32% CP feeds for larger fish of 300g and above. He reasoned that higher CP feeds are essential for a short culture period to achieve good FCRs.
In his ponds, Dai has paddlewheel aerators. The last harvest was 130 tonnes of tilapia from a 6ha pond. Complete harvesting of the pond takes 7-10 days. Ponds are dried over two weeks to prepare for the next harvest.
“In winter with cooler temperatures, we find that the dorsal meat is better,” said Dai.
In early 2025, farmgate prices were VND29,000/kg (USD1.16). The highest price was VND33,000/kg. In general cost of production is around USD1.00/kg comprising USD0.66/kg for feeds and FCR was 1.3. The land was leased from the government for 20 years and cost VND75 million (USD2,870).
Polyculture of black tilapia
Farmer Tran Van Trang operates five ponds, constructed with cement dykes and soil pond bottoms. Each pond is 3m deep and covers 3,000m2. The polyculture species include black tilapia, common carp, and grass carp, with a total stocking density of 5,000 fish per pond. The stocking ratio is 50% tilapia and 50% carps. Aeration systems consist of long arm aerators, two paddle wheels, and diffusers. Feeding is twice daily using automatic feeders manufactured in China, which are controlled using a smartphone.
The harvest size is 2kg for fillet processing and 1.6kg for live fish markets. The culture duration is 6 months from 15-20g fingerlings. He uses three feed brands (Thang Long, Cargill and CJ) with 30-32% CP feeds and FCR at around 1.2. In winter, he uses probiotics over 3 months together with water treatments.
Bui Dinh Khiem, Nutritionist at Hoa Phat Hung Yen Feedmill said that it wants to expand into aquafeed production. Hoa Phat has two feed mills each in Hung Yen and Dong Nai producing feeds for pig, poultry and layer.
In another farm, owner Pham Van Manh has three ponds of 7,200m2 each with a depth of 2m. The polyculture is also with tilapia, common carp and grass carp at a ratio of 50:50 of tilapia and carps. Some 8,000-tilapia size 250g are stocked and within 5-6 months, fish reach 1.7- 1.8kg. The production is 20-25 tonnes for two crops/year. The farmgate prices for 1.6kg fish was VND37,000/kg in February 2025 and fish are sold live to local markets. His 32% CP feed costs VND430,000/25 kg (USD0.65/kg).
Selective genetics
Some 50% of fry is imported from China and Thailand. In summer, farmers stock fry from Thailand because their genetics selection is considered better suited to disease challenges that occur during the hotter months. The stock sourced from China, which has been selected for rapid growth, is particularly well-suited for the winter cycle. Viet Nhat is planning to start a hatchery.
Farmer Trang, who uses China’s tilapia strain for his March to September crop said that fish with these genetics have a good round body condition factor. There is a size variation in his crop, spreading from 1.2-2kg with an average size of 1.5kg.
Tilapia feeds and feeding
Around Hanoi, several feed mills produce extruded and floating feeds for various fish species. Most feeds are for grass carp, common carp, and tilapia.
“Most of Viet Nhat’s big customers prefer more affordable 28-30% CP feeds since they have good farm practices to ensure consistent production,”
said Ngoc. If farms follow the feed chart suggested by feed millers, it is feeding 40% CP (size 1mm) feeds at the fry and fingerling stages, followed by 35% CP (size 1-2mm) feeds and finally 31-32% CP (size 3-8mm) feeds for larger fish.
Dabaco’s feed plant in Bac Ninh province has a production line of 4 tonnes/hour, supplying floating pellets for species like tilapia, mud carp, catfish and sturgeon. Dabaco has a soybean (SBM) plant and therefore adds SBM at high levels in its carp feeds. However, Le Danh Thanh, Technical Manager as well as aquafeed formulator and responsible for quality control, said that it cannot use more than 40% as the feed price becomes too high. He added that farmers want fish feeds with a stable colour and smell. The farms in the north, contrary to those in the south, prefer the whitish pink colour of red tilapia. In the south, the preference is for reddish fish.
Viet Nhat has a focus on aquafeeds at 15% of its total feed production, which was 240,000 tonnes in 2024. There are two extrusion lines in two factories in Yen My District, North Vietnam and one extrusion line in a factory in the south in Dong Nai. Feed uses 12% distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and 20% SBM. The feed mill is modern using robotics for packaging and automation in the plant in Yen My. Formulation is done with a company in China. It produces feeds for both red and black tilapia, snakehead, climbing perch, common carp, grass carp and black carp and channel catfish.
Feeds contribute almost 90% of production cost when FCR is 1.5. Feeds with 30% CP cost USD0.68/kg. When there were import restrictions on meat and bone meal in 2022, Dabaco used DDGS at 13% and now Thanh wants to increase the inclusion rate to 15%. There is also interest to add faba beans into the tilapia and carp feed formulations. Faba beans have been shown to produce firmer flesh but the process of soaking the beans for direct feeding to fish is too laborious. A disadvantage of feeding only faba beans is slower growth.
The print version was published in issue July/August 2025.
