Brazilian Seafood Exports Could Rise 20% With EU Reopening

Brazil expects to make progress this year toward reopening the European Union market to Brazilian seafood, which has been barred since 2018. According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, resuming exports to the bloc could increase the country’s seafood export value, currently $472 million, by about 20%.

The process is at the stage of reviewing Brazil’s responses to recommendations made by the European Union. According to Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Édipo Araújo, the preliminary report was sent last month, and the Brazilian government submitted its responses by the October 9 deadline.

“We have worked with great commitment, extensive dialogue and considerable technical rigor. Brazil’s protein is of such high quality that it cannot be excluded from one of the world’s most strategic markets, the European Union,” he told CNN in an interview during the Seafood Show in São Paulo.

As it seeks to regain access to the European market, Brazil is working to expand the presence of its seafood in other international markets.

The United States currently accounts for approximately 50% of Brazilian seafood exports. China is also a significant buyer, with purchases of about $51 million, while sales to Argentina total around $16 million.

Overall, Brazil exported approximately 2,365 TEUs of frozen fish, according to Datamar. Despite a 27.3% decline in shipments to the United States, exports to all destinations remained up 7% compared with the January-August period of 2025.

Frozen Fish Exports | Jan 2024 – Aug 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner – explore our trade data

The government’s strategy is to reduce export concentration and expand the number of buying countries, strengthening the sector’s competitiveness and creating new opportunities for domestic production.

According to the minister, the administration has already secured access to more than 20 new markets for Brazilian seafood. Recent openings include the United Arab Emirates, announced last week, in an initiative involving Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Agriculture and Livestock Minister André de Paula.

The opening was presented as Brazil’s 700th market access gain for agricultural products.

Beyond the volume traded, the resumption of exports to the European Union is considered strategic because of its potential to add value to Brazilian products.

“When we talk about exports, we are primarily talking about added value,” the minister said, explaining that assessments of the sector’s export performance focus primarily on sales value.

Domestic Consumption Remains a Challenge for the Sector

Alongside diversifying international destinations, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture has made increasing seafood consumption in Brazil a priority.

Despite having approximately 8,500 kilometers of coastline, about 12% of the world’s freshwater reserves and some of the planet’s greatest aquatic biodiversity, Brazil still has low per capita seafood consumption, with significant regional differences.

The national average is between 10 and 12 kilograms per person annually. Consumption is higher in the North, while states in the Center-South and South have rates ranging from just 2 to 5 kilograms per person annually, according to the figures cited by the minister.

To change this situation, the ministry is pursuing initiatives to improve access to seafood and encourage its inclusion in everyday diets. These include partnerships with the Ministry of Education (MEC) to encourage the inclusion of seafood in school meals, as well as adding it to the basic food basket. The aim is to reach different age groups, with particular attention to children and young people, to build consumption habits that help strengthen the production chain over the long term.

“We need to increase seafood consumption in Brazil and make it accessible to everyone,” he said.

Tilapia Gains Ground on Brazilian Tables

Tilapia was cited as one of the leading examples of seafood becoming more widely consumed in Brazil.

Native to Africa, the nonnative species has gained ground in the Brazilian market thanks to the ability to produce it at scale, its availability and broad consumer acceptance.

Paraná, for example, stands out as one of Brazil’s largest tilapia producers despite having a relatively short coastline. The example shows that aquaculture production can drive consumption even in regions far from the coast.

Strengthening the sector is also linked to the pursuit of food production systems with a lower environmental impact.

In the minister’s assessment, seafood offers advantages in this respect and is expected to gain greater visibility amid the challenges posed by climate change.

“The combination of aquaculture expansion, export diversification and increased domestic consumption is seen as a way to expand seafood’s role in the Brazilian economy,” Araújo said.

Source: CNN Brasil

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