Representatives from five leading tilapia producing countries, namely Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore gathered to reaffirm their shared commitment to strengthening the tilapia industry in Southeast Asia.
Hosted by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) for Southeast Asia Tilapia Association (SEATA) Roundtable 2025 was conducted on October 28-29, 2025. USSEC is led by its Technical Director, Mr. Lukas Manomaitis.
One of the representatives of the Philippines was Dr. Adelaida T. Calpe, Director of the Inland Aquatic Resources Research Division of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).
The activity aimed to establish a pre-competitive regional tilapia association that will serve as a platform for farmers, researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders across the region to exchange information, innovations, and best practices and accelerate the adoption of modern technologies in tilapia aquaculture. The roundtable puts emphasis on the importance of tilapia production as a significant component of food security, livelihoods, and economic growth across Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The roundtable discussion served as an avenue for dialogue on strategic actions on the formation of the regional association to enhance the region’s global competitiveness and ensure the sustainable growth of the tilapia industry. The discussions focused on promoting innovation, improving profitability, and developing initiatives to increase production volume without crashing market prices. They have explored the potential export market for tilapia in both whole and fillet form. Other Filipino delegates included Mr. Gabriel Alcantara, Executive Vice President of Alsons Corporation; Ms. Marivic Panahon, Sales Manager of Kuzon Santeh Feeds Corporation; Mr. Florencio Juico, Jr., President of Philippine Tilapia Association; and Mr. Hector Abes, tilapia hatchery operator.
By investing in collaboration, capacity building, and knowledge sharing among regional players, the SEATA Roundtable 2025 commits to a collective goal of advancing the tilapia industry’s sustainability, efficiency, and technology adoption. Participants expressed their dedication to making Southeast Asia’s tilapia industry more competitive in the global aquaculture landscape.