High import tax hinders Asian canned tuna exports to Italy

Over the recent years, due to limited wild catch and high production cost, exports of canned tuna of other European countries to Italy has been slowing down. It is boosting purchase from Seychelles, Mauritius, Ecuador, which are currently standing just after Spain in the canned tuna supplier list. Ecuador occupied 14.5 percent of Italian total imports, Seychelles (7.49 percent) and Mauritius (5.9 percent). These countries saw growth in export value over 3 recent years, especially Seychelles.

In terms of catch production, Asian tuna producers such as the Philippines, China and Indonesia have the same advantages as islands countries. But they still have low competitiveness in sales to Italian market. Canned tuna products from Asia are imposed a high import tax of about 20.5 percent while those from islands countries pay the zero percent rate as they are enjoying preferential import agreements offered by European countries.

ITC reported that Thailand was the leading supplier of canned tuna among Asian countries. However, Thailand shipments to Italy have been decreasing and its position slid from the second to the seventh in Italian import ranking. 

Italy is the largest market for Vietnam canned tuna in the EU. In 2013, imports from Vietnam had a worth of more than US$1 million.