(VASEPNews) In Feb 2012, Vietnam tuna exports reached US$41.5 million, marking a 76.7 percent increase against Feb 2011, bringing total tuna export value in the first two months this year to US$74 million, up 22.1 percent.
At this time, Vietnam tuna was exported to 56 countries and territories worldwide in which tuna export value to almost traditional markets grew drastically by double or triple digits against the same period of 2011. However, tuna exports to the U.S. – the largest importer of Vietnam tuna – fell by 10.2 percent to US$30.7 million.
Vietnam tuna shipment to the U.S. kept a strong growth in previous months. Tuna export value to the market accounted for a half of total exports of Vietnam tuna. However, in Jan and Feb 2012, tuna exports to the market slowed down with the decrease in export value of 34 percent and 10.2 percent respectively against those of the same period of 2011.
Fishermen’s income decreases due to increasing fuel cost for offshore tuna fishing. Therefore, some vessels can’t go offshore fishing. This leads to a serious reduction in domestic supply of raw tuna. Besides, increasingly hiking ocean freight has large impact on exports of Vietnam seafood to the EU and the U.S.
Non tariff barriers in exporting to the U.S. as well as surging production cost in Vietnam (fuel cost, ocean freight) make exports of Vietnam seafood in general and tuna in particular to the U.S. become increasingly difficult.