(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In recent months, Vietnam's tuna exports to markets continued to witness the good growth. According to the statistics from Vietnam Customs, Vietnam's tuna exports in the first 7 months of 2017 valued at US$328 million, an increase of 22% over the same period of 2016. Shipments to most major importing markets went up over the same period.
Vietnam’ tuna sales of all items in the period increased year on year. Of that, exports of processed/canned tuna showed the highest increase of 32.3%; followed by those of fresh/live/frozen/dried tuna with 14% from a year before. In Jan-Jul 2017, sales of tuna loins/fillets remained the large proportion of 48% in total Vietnam tuna exports; followed by those of canned tuna with 30%.
Currently, Vietnam tuna have reached more than 70 countries in the world. The U.S, the EU, Israel, ASEAN, Japan, Mexico, Canada and China claimed as top 8 importing markets in period, accounting for 88% of Vietnam's tuna export value.
U.S
In July 2017, Vietnam‘s tuna exports to the U.S experienced the year-on-year rise of 8% with the value of US$20 million. The figure in the first 7 months of 2017 amounted to US$128 million, up 15% over the same period last year.
Vietnam's exports of tuna products to the market in the period all increased from a year before. Exports of tuna loins/fillets accounted for the highest proportion of 60% in Vietnam's tuna exports to the U.S, up 3% year on year. Compared with last year, Vietnam currently boosted shipments of canned tuna to the market with the climb of 41%.
EU
Vietnam’s tuna exports to the EU in July reached US$10.7 million, bringing the total export value in the first 7 months of the year to US$69 million, up 23% over the same period in 2016.
Notably, in July, sales to Italy increased sharply after a period of continuous decline since the beginning of the year. Total tuna exports to this market hit US$1.2 million, up 166% over July last year. However, this increase was not enough to offset the decline in the first half of the year. Meanwhile, exports to Germany and the Netherlands continued to record the positive rises of 95% and 68% respectively year on year.
Exports of tuna products to the EU have increased, except for other processed tuna. In particular, exports of canned tuna tend to raise the export share in the first 7 months of this year. Exports of this item to the bloc eyed US$23 million, making up 33% of Vietnam's tuna export value and up 26% over the same period last year.
Israel
With the growth rate from the beginning of the year, Israel has recently overtaken ASEAN and Japan to stay as the 3rd largest tuna importer of Vietnam. Vietnam's tuna exports to the market achieved US$28 million, up 155% from the first 7 months of 2016.
Currently, due to lower demand for canned tuna in big traditional markets such as the U.S, EU and Japan, Vietnamese enterprises tend to shift to the emerging markets in the Middle East, especially Israel. As a result, sales of processed/canned tuna picked up the high share of 68% of total export value, with the value of US$19 million, up 67% year on year.
In the coming time, Vietnam's tuna exports to the U.S and the EU are projected to increase slowly, while exports to major emerging markets expected to continue the strong rise.