Canned tuna exports plunge by 50%
According to data from Vietnam Customs, the export value of canned tuna in April 2025 reached only USD 15.8 million—a 50% drop compared to April 2024. This is one of the lowest monthly values recorded since January 2023.
Industry insiders attribute this sharp decline to major regulatory challenges, particularly those outlined in Decree 37/2024/NĐ-CP. These include strict rules on the minimum size of fish allowed to be caught, and a prohibition on mixing domestically sourced wild-caught seafood with imported wild-caught seafood in the same export batch. These regulations have significantly affected both tuna fishing and export operations, especially for canned tuna.
In contrast, other categories of tuna products posted growth in April. Most notably, processed tuna products under HS code 16—mainly frozen steamed tuna loins—rose by 62% year-on-year. Frozen tuna fillets/loins also recorded a 15% increase.
Exports to several key markets saw mixed trends in April 2025.
In the U.S. market, following the country’s temporary 90-day suspension of a proposed 46% retaliatory tariff on imports from Vietnam, Vietnamese exporters attempted to take advantage of the window to boost shipments. However, exports to the U.S. have started to slow, reaching nearly USD 36 million in April—up just 3% year-on-year.
Similarly, tuna exports to the EU also showed signs of slowing. The export value to this bloc rose by 11% year-on-year, totaling nearly USD 21 million in April. The Netherlands, Italy, and Germany remain the top three importers of Vietnamese tuna in the EU. While exports to the Netherlands and Italy continued to grow, shipments to Germany declined compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, geopolitical instability in the Middle East is having a significant impact on Vietnam’s tuna exports to this region. Exports to Israel dropped sharply by 57% in April. Cumulatively, exports to Israel in the first four months of 2025 were down nearly 62% year-on-year. Exports to Saudi Arabia also declined by 35%.
After two months of strong growth, exports to Canada reversed course in April, falling to just under USD 3 million—a 27% decline compared to April 2024.
With domestic raw material bottlenecks still unresolved, and ongoing geopolitical tensions and policy changes in key markets, Vietnam’s tuna exports are likely to face an even steeper decline in the coming months.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Fishermen in Ha Tinh are gradually overcoming difficulties to maintain the efficiency of seafood exploitation. In the first six months of 2026, the entire province achieved a production of more than 23,000 tons of seafood, worth more than 1,200 billion VND.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) June 2026 brought encouraging signs for Vietnam's tuna exports, with export value rising 20% year-on-year to nearly USD 72 million. However, this increase has yet to offset the prolonged slowdown seen in key markets such as the European Union (EU), where import demand remains weak. The outlook for the second half of the year is expected to become more challenging as freight rates continue to climb.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in collaboration with the Agency for Domestic Market Management and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will organize the Domestic Seafood Supply–Demand Matching Program on the morning of August 20, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City. The program aims to foster direct business connections between Vietnamese seafood producers and processors and domestic distributors, retailers, and foodservice channels.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Cooking Show will be one of the most engaging experiential highlights of Vietfish 2026. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, 2026, at Hall B1, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, the event will offer visitors a vibrant culinary space where Vietnamese seafood is showcased through its flavors, stories, and real-life culinary applications.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius exports reached USD 205 million in June 2026, up 5% compared with the same month in 2025. Cumulative export value for the first six months of the year totaled USD 1.1 billion, an increase of 12% year-on-year. Growth was primarily driven by strong demand from China and CPTPP markets, while exports to the United States and Brazil continued to decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
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