Brazil Suspends Import of Vietnamese Tilapia Due to Tilapia Lake Virus

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Brazil Suspends Import of Vietnamese Tilapia Due to Tilapia Lake Virus

Brazil Suspends Import of Vietnamese Tilapia Due to Tilapia Lake Virus

Recently, the Department of Quality, Processing, and Market Development of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam issued a notification announcing that Brazil has stopped importing Vietnamese tilapia. What is the reason?

On February 22, according to Vietnamese media reports, a leader of the Department of Quality, Processing, and Market Development stated that they received a letter from the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Bureau stating the cessation of tilapia imports from Vietnam.

Brazil suspended the import of Vietnamese tilapia starting from February 14 because it needs to screen for the disease risk caused by Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) in Vietnamese tilapia until a conclusion is reached.

Brazil Suspends Import of Vietnamese Tilapia Due to Tilapia Lake Virus

After receiving the notification to stop import, several aquaculture processing plants that were permitted to export tilapia to Brazil halted their tilapia export activities. However, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Bureau of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock also advised aquaculture processing plants to actively pay attention to and study market-related information when conducting export activities to comply with relevant regulations.

Frozen tilapia is one of the most popular products among American consumers, and China is the world’s largest supplier of tilapia and also the largest supplier to the United States. Vietnamese tilapia in the American market is difficult to compete with Chinese tilapia because the average price in Vietnam is much higher.

The order to stop exporting tilapia to Brazil has affected the aquaculture export business of Vietnamese enterprises. Cai Yingjun, a relevant person in charge of a seafood export company in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, pointed out the need to explore new markets.

Cai Yingjun said that tilapia is a fast-growing aquaculture product. China currently has the highest production in the world.

Although the export value of Vietnamese tilapia is low, it has shown good growth recently. If the Brazilian market stops importing Vietnamese tilapia, Vietnam will strive to shift its focus to markets such as Japan, Belgium, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

What is Tilapia Lake Virus?

Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) is a viral disease that affects tilapia fish, particularly Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), which is one of the most widely farmed fish species globally. The virus was first reported in Israel in 2009 and has since been detected in several other countries, including Thailand, Ecuador, and Egypt, among others.

TiLV can cause high mortality rates in infected fish, leading to significant economic losses in tilapia farming industries. The virus primarily affects the liver, spleen, and brain of tilapia, leading to symptoms such as lethargy, tissue discoloration, and abnormal swimming behavior.

Due to the potential impact of TiLV on tilapia populations, there is ongoing research to better understand the virus, develop diagnostic tools, and explore potential treatments or preventive measures to mitigate its spread and impact on tilapia farming.