Australia raises tuna imports from ASEAN

In the first three months of this year, tuna imports into Australia totaled 14 thousand MT, worth by US$67 million, up 24% in volume and 29% in value. Imports of tuna items into Australia during this period increased over the same period.

Australia currently imported tuna from 22 countries and territories around the world, which most of them are from ASEAN countries. Thanks to geographical advantages, tuna imports from ASEAN countries into Australia picked up the main share of nearly 99% of the country's total tuna imports. In the first three months of this year, tuna imports from ASEAN into the market hit 14,000 MT with the value of US$65 million, up 23.8% in volume and 27.4% in value over the same period in 2016. Of that, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam stayed as top three largest single exporters of tuna to the country with the market shares of 89%, 9% and 1%, respectively.

In QI/2017, Australia increased imports of tuna from other countries, especially from Vietnam, Italy, Maldives and Tonga. However, thanks to the advantage of low tuna prices, exports of ASEAN countries will take up the major proportion in this market.