Vietnam ships first-ever batch of tilapia to Brazil, totaling 700 tons, marking a milestone in bilateral trade and cooperation.
Vietnam shipped its first batch of tilapia to Brazil on Nov. 6, comprising 32 containers and totaling 700 tons, through Brazil’s largest food company, JBS. The fish will initially be distributed via JBS supermarkets, the Horeca (hotel, restaurant, café) channel, and its product showcase facilities. The first container is expected to arrive at the port of Santos on Dec. 17.
Vietnam’s Ambassador to Brazil, Bui Van Nghi, described the shipment as a commercial milestone and a step forward in economic cooperation between the two nations, which recently upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership, with Brazil recognizing Vietnam as a market economy. He said the export reflects growing business connectivity, market expansion, and the strong reputation of Vietnamese agricultural and seafood products in Brazil and across Latin America.
Marcio Rodrigues, JBS’s executive director for market access, said the shipment highlights the company’s deepening partnership with Vietnam, supported by investment, job creation, and an increase in imports of Vietnamese products.
The shipment also fulfills an agreement between the two countries to open agricultural markets, as pledged by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Brazilian President Lula da Silva at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro in July 2025.
Under the agreement, Vietnam has opened its market to Brazilian beef, while Brazil has opened its market to Vietnamese tilapia, pangasius, and basa. Vietnam and Brazil are also negotiating a free trade deal with MERCOSUR, with Brazil serving as the bloc’s rotating chair in 2025, while working to strengthen ties among businesses, industry associations, and relevant authorities to promote sustainable and balanced bilateral trade.
VFM
