Tilapia Raw Material Prices Edge Up, Led by Producing Areas in Guangdong

In Week 22 of 2026 (May 25 – 31), raw tilapia procurement prices at processing plants in Guangdong rose by 0.10 yuan per kilogram week on week, with quotes for fish weighing 500–800 grams seeing a mild rebound. This marks the first weekly price increase in Guangdong so far this year. Tilapia raw material prices had lingered at low levels for months running, and the latest price movement has prompted some farmers to hold off on selling their stock.

Maoming: Quotes for tilapia of 0.5kg size recovered to around 3.6 yuan per jin. As a major tilapia production hub in Guangdong, Maoming exported over 27,000 tons of tilapia in April 2026 alone.

Zhanjiang: Prices for 0.5kg tilapia went up by about 0.15 yuan per jin week on week, a slightly larger gain than in Maoming.

Yangjiang: On-farm stock is extremely tight, and quotes for 0.5kg tilapia increased by roughly 0.10 yuan per jin week on week.

Tonghu, Huizhou: The temporary holding price for fish of 0.75–1kg size stood at 4 yuan per jin in the afternoon, with on-farm inventories dropping notably compared with earlier periods.

Prices in Guangxi and Hainan remained steady in Week 22 with no follow-up hikes. Yunnan’s local tilapia market stayed sluggish and prices failed to improve, affected by inflows of fish from Guangdong.

Following the price uptick, some farmers decided to delay sales in anticipation of further gains. Processing plants took a cautious stance. They raised procurement prices only modestly in Week 22 and maintained production based on existing orders, with no aggressive buying despite the mild raw material price rise.

Signals from China-US Negotiations, Policies Yet to Take Effect

In mid-May, China's Ministry of Commerce announced that the two countries agreed to cut tariffs mutually on goods worth 30 billion US dollars. The US also pledged to lift automatic detention measures for three categories of Chinese aquatic products exported to the US. Tilapia was not explicitly mentioned in the deal.

In April 2026, China’s tilapia exports to the US hit 21.654 million US dollars, accounting for 20.6% of the month’s total export value. The US remains China’s top tilapia export destination.

As of Week 22, official details are still pending on whether tilapia is included in the tariff reduction list, the specific adjusted tariff rates and the implementation timeline. Processing enterprises are waiting for formal regulatory documents.

In Week 21 (mid-May), tilapia prices in the US wholesale market stayed flat amid persistently high inventories, and buyers only purchased to meet immediate demand. In Q1 2026, China’s tilapia export volume to the US plunged 27.1% year on year.

Latest Updates from Brazil and Vietnam

Brazil: Thanks to duty-free quotas secured via negotiations with the US, Brazil’s tilapia exports to the US have doubled since 2024. Even if tariffs on Chinese tilapia are lowered, Chinese products will still face fierce competition from Brazilian supplies in the US market.

Vietnam: According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam’s tilapia export value reached 49 million US dollars in the first four months of 2026, surging 151% year on year. Though Vietnam’s total tilapia export volume is still far below China’s, it has maintained rapid growth.

China’s Tilapia Exports Shift toward Diversification

In April 2026, exports to Mexico accounted for 20.3% of China’s total tilapia shipments, while Côte d’Ivoire took up 17.6%. The robust growth of markets in Africa and Central America has reduced China’s reliance on a single export destination. China exported 57,010.6 tons of tilapia worth approximately 105 million US dollars in April 2026.

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