U.S. tilapia market faces supply and demand dilemma, tariffs add to uncertainty

Published Feb 20, 2025

Tridge summary

In 2024, the United States experienced a 15% decrease in fresh tilapia fillet imports from South American suppliers, with China being the primary supplier. This decline, along with a reduction in frozen tilapia fillet imports from China, has led to a significant drop in retail sales for the fish in the US. Factors contributing to this downturn include production disruptions in major supplier countries like Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico, due to disease outbreaks, and tariff uncertainties. Despite these challenges, tilapia remains the fourth most consumed seafood species in the US. The industry's future growth prospects are uncertain but remain under observation, with concerns over high prices and potential shifts in supply due to production issues and tariff risks.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Imports fall, retail sales weaken According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), imports of fresh tilapia fillets from South American suppliers fell 15% in 2024. China is the main supplier of tilapia to the United States, accounting for about 87% of the market share. However, since 2020, the number of frozen tilapia fillets imported from China has fallen by about 20%, with imports in 2024 reaching 82,520 metric tons, far lower than 103,000 metric tons in 2020. In the retail market, tilapia sales have also fallen significantly. According to 210, a market research company based in Texas, According to data from InfoWorld, in 2024, the sales of fresh tilapia in the US retail market were $254 million, down 8.7% year-on-year; sales volume also fell 7.6%. Sales of frozen tilapia were $542 million, down 2.3% year-on-year, while sales volume also decreased by 3.4%. Production disruptions, tight supply Industry experts are concerned about the growth ...

Source: Foodmate