(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese tuna exports to Japan decreased continuously in the last months of 2018. However, the trend of growth has been positive in 2019. Tuna export value to this market in September reached US $ 2.1 million, up 19% over the same period in 2018. Therefore, the total value in the first 9 months of 2019 still increased by 7.3% compared to the same period in 2018, reached nearly US$21 million.
Currently, Japan market is also experiencing positive changes. This is reflected in the import growth in the first 8 months of 2019, an increase of 0.2% in volume and 0.7% in value. Cheap Atlantic salmon product is still popular in this market, hence, it has impacted the import of live, fresh tuna of Japan.
Market share of fresh Japanese tuna is gradually being replaced by that of salmon. Along with that, canned tuna products imported into Japan also tended to decrease compared to the same period. However, the market prefers quality frozen tuna over fresh tuna due to a longer shelf life than frozen tuna, imports of frozen tuna loin into Japan have increased. Frozen tuna loin is currently the most imported product in Japan.
As of August 2019, Japan imported tuna from 60 countries around the world. Notwithstanding, Vietnam currently occupied a very small market share in this market although Japan is one of the key export markets of Vietnam.
In the segment of Japanese live, fresh and frozen tuna market, Vietnam currently accounts for a very small market share. This is not a key export product group of Vietnam to this market.
Meanwhile, the main suppliers of frozen tuna loin for the Japanese market come from Malta, China and Korea.
In the segment of processed and canned tuna, Southeast Asian countries are dominating the market. Vietnam is the country with the highest growth rate among these countries. Vietnam is currently exporting mainly frozen steamed bigeye tuna loin products, packed tuna as pet food ... to this market.
According to the statistics of Vietnam Customs, the export value of canned tuna products accounted for nearly 61% of the total export value. The group of processed and canned tuna products is currently being promoted to export to this market.