(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna export value to Italy market in June 2019 increased significantly to 728.9% compared to the same period in 2018. Not only that, from March to June 2019, the value of tuna exports to this market has been growing continuously. Thanks to this result, from the 4th largest importer in 2018, Italy has become the leading tuna importer of Vietnam in the EU regions in the first half of 2019.
As of the end of June, 2019, the total value of tuna exports to Italy reached US$13.3 million, up 60% compared to the same period in 2018. In particular, Khanh Hoa's tuna enterprises focused on exports two main tuna products to Italy, which were yellowfin tuna (code HS 0303 code) and processed yellowfin tuna (code HS 1604).
According to the updated statistics of ITC, in the first 5 months of 2019, the EU continued to prioritize imports products of frozen fillets tuna (HS 030487) and frozen yellowfin tuna (HS 030342). Similar to the general import trend of the region, in the first half of this year, yellowfin tuna products (HS 030342) accounted for the largest proportion of Italy's imports, from 24-43% of the total import value of this market.
In 2018, in addition to prioritizing intra-regional imports from the big supplier was Spain, Italy expanded and increased the import of frozen yellowfin tuna products (HS 030342) from a wide range of large suppliers in Asia such as Korea, Philippines and Thailand. Meanwhile, in the first half of 2019, the proportion of frozen yellowfin tuna of Vietnam increased sharply in Italian market. Currently, Vietnam is the 2nd largest supplier of frozen yellowfin tuna (after Spain) in Italy. This market movement is a good sign for Vietnamese tuna enterprises to continue boosting exports to Italy.
Italy accustomed to import frozen tuna to produce canned tuna. In addition, the country also imported raw materials for processing loins or steaks. Most of the tuna imported into the EU was processed from Southern European countries, of which Spain and Italy were the two countries with the most tuna processing plants in the region.