In spite of having the largest tuna fishing fleet in EU, the country still looks for raw tuna from many origins in the world due to restriction in fishing quota. In 2011, the country spent over US$436 million on buying tuna.
With high demand of raw tuna for producing tuna canneries amid shortage of domestic raw material supply, Spain imported tuna (fresh, chilled, frozen and loin) from other origins, including Vietnam.
For the year to date, Spain is one of member countries of EU which reported the most impressive growth in tuna imports from Vietnam (triple digit growth). According to Vietnam Customs statistics, in 2011, Spain ranked the fourth out of EU countries in tuna imports from Vietnam but till Feb 2012, the market outreached to the third position.
Vietnam tuna products exported to Spain was diversified, including processed/canned tuna In two recent years, tuna shipped to Spain was mainly frozen tuna fillet. Through July 2012, tuna fillet export value achieved over US$5.9 million, up 33.5 percent; fresh, live, frozen, dried tuna exports reached US$2.51 million - up 1,783 percent compared to the same period of 2011.
Yellowfin tuna, longfin tuna and skipjack tuna are widely used in canned tuna production in Spain. Mexico, the Philippines, Netherlands Antilles, South Korea and Senegal are the main suppliers of yellowfin tuna (fresh, live, frozen) for Spain. Among 37 suppliers of yellowfin tuna for the market, Vietnam ranked the 15th position. Indonesia and Thailand also exported this product to Spain but low export value.
Although hurt by European economic slowdown, Spain is still the largest tuna consumer in EU and tuna imports into the market are likely to surge in the upcoming time. Consuming demand of fresh tuna in Spain tends to decline while demand of processed and frozen finfish is on an upward trend thanks to reasonable price.
In 2012, with the favorable conditions in raw material supply (yellowfin tuna catch was up 30 percent through August over 2011), Vietnam tuna exports to Spain are expected to continue rising sharply in the near time. Spain still belongs to top 3 largest importers of Vietnam tuna among EU.
|
Canned tuna demand in Spanish retail market (Unit: US$ million) |
||||||
|
Products |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Canned tuna |
1,180 |
1,221 |
1,262 |
1,303 |
1,343 |
1,383 |
(Source: datamonitor, 2012)
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the latest statistics for January 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius export value to major market blocs recorded encouraging growth compared with the same period last year, indicating that consumption demand is gradually recovering.
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