(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Europe, the Netherlands is not a tuna producer, but a large transit country. The Netherlands is currently the 9th largest importer of tuna in the world and the 6th largest importer in the EU. This country is also the largest tuna importer of Vietnam in the EU. In the past 3 years, Vietnam's tuna exports to the Netherlands has grown continuously, especially frozen tuna products.
According to the statistics of Vietnam Customs, the export of Vietnamese tuna to the Netherlands from January to May 2019 grew well over the same period in 2018, except for February due to the long Tet holiday, export value reached aproximately from US$1.2 to US$3.2 million/month. Total of the first 5 months of 2019, export value of Vietnamese tuna to the Netherlands increased by nearly 60% compared to the same period in 2018, reaching more than US$12 million. In particular, products mainly exported to this market were the group of fresh and frozen tuna accounting for 89%. Compared to the same period in 2018, export value of frozen tuna fillets/loin (such as frozen yellowfin tuna loin, frozen yellowfin tuna slice ...) increased the most by 63%, reaching US$10.4 million.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands is importing a wide range of processed canned tuna products HS16 from other countries. According to statistics of the International Trade Center, the Netherlands imported nearly US$62 million of these products in the first quarter of 2019, accounting for nearly 85% of the country's total import value of tuna. Followed by the products of frozen tuna loin/fillets HS code 0304, accounting for 13% at US$9.3 million. Compared to the same period in 2018, the import of processed canned tuna HS16 of the Netherlands tended to dropped, while imports of fresh/live/ frozen tuna rose.
In 2018, Vietnam was only the 6th largest supplier of tuna for this market. Currently, Vietnam is the 3rd largest supplier of non-EU tuna for the Dutch market. At the same time, Vietnam is the top suppliers of live/fresh/frozen tuna for this market.
With the advantage of FTA, Ecuador continues to dominate the Dutch tuna market. Ecuador currently accounts for 23% of the total import value of tuna into the Netherlands. Similarly, thanks to the signing of the tuna fishing agreement with the EU, Mauritius, the second largest supplier of the Netherlands, occupies a large proportion of this market share. Mauritius accounts for 16% of total Dutch tuna import value lately. Yet, compared to the first quarter of 2019, Ecuador's market share of tuna tends to went down, while those of Mauritius and Vietnam rose.
Signing of the Free Trade Agreement with the EU is the driving force for Vietnam's tuna exported to this market. Under the EVFTA commitment, the EU will abolish tariffs on live/ fresh and frozen tuna products (except for frozen tuna loin/fillets HS code 0304) as soon as the agreement comes into effect. For products of frozen tuna fillets/loin HS code030487, the EU will eliminate tariffs for Vietnam under a 3-year schedule, from the basic tax rate of 18% as soon as the agreement comes into effect. With this advantage, the products of frozen tuna fillets/loin HS code 030487 will continue to maintain its position in this market.
Moreover, the Netherlands is currently the EU transit center. So, storing goods prices at the Rotterdam port is probably cheaper than that of Hamburg and transporting to Germany's largest market in the Ruhr is more closer, the amount of imports into the Netherlands is increasing. Therefore, it is forecasted that in the coming time, Vietnam's tuna exports to the Netherlands will continue to be positive.