Pangasius exports to Iraq hit the highest level in three years
According to data from Vietnam Customs, Iin September 2024, Vietnamese pangasius exports to Iraq reached its highest value in three years since 2022, with nearly USD 1.8 million in revenue, marking a 155% increase compared to the same period last year.
Over the first nine months of 2024, cumulative pangasius exports to Iraq have generated USD 11 million—up 127% year-on-year and almost 1.5 times the total pangasius exports to Iraq in all of 2023.
Iraq is a major and traditional trade partner of Vietnam and has a relatively modest aquaculture sector. Iraq lacks an industrial fish processing sector, and most fish are sold fresh for domestic consumption. The fishing industry contributes only a small portion to Iraq’s GDP.
Unlike most markets importing Vietnamese pangasius, Iraq primarily consumes dried fish products and other frozen forms (whole fish, portions, etc.). Exports of these products to Iraq reached USD 8 million in the first three quarters of this year, an increase of 245% over the same period last year, accounting for 73% of the total.
Frozen pangasius fillets exported to Iraq in the first nine months of this year reached nearly USD 3 million, marking a 19% increase compared to the same period in 2023 and accounting for 27% of total pangasius exports to this country.
Cuu Long An Giang Seafood Import-Export Corporation is the largest exporter of pangasius to Iraq, accounting for 60% of the total exports in the first nine months of this year.
VFM
