Notably, while Vietnam's tuna exports in the first 5 months of 2023 to the EU all decreased over the same period, canned tuna exports increased sharply by 71% over the same period last year. With this increase, canned tuna is Vietnam's main export product to the EU in this period, accounting for more than 50% of the total export value.
Meanwhile, EU canned tuna imports are decreasing. The high price of skipjack tuna in the world pushed up the price of canned tuna imported into this market by 18% in the first 3 months of the year, reducing the purchasing power of EU importers. EU canned tuna imports during this period also decreased by 21% in volume. Imports of canned tuna from the EU from main sources have mostly decreased.
After a decline in April 2023, Vietnam's tuna exports to the EU increased again in May, up 15%
Among EU countries, Germany and the Netherlands are the two largest import markets of Vietnamese tuna in the first 5 months of the year. Compared to the same period in 2022, Vietnam's tuna exports to Germany and the Netherlands both increased by 23% and 26% respectively.
By the end of May 2023, Vietnam had more than 31 enterprises participating in exporting tuna to the EU market. In which, FoodTech, Bidifisco and Yueh Chyang Canned Food are the three leading companies in exporting to this market, accounting for more than 40% of total tuna export turnover.
This year, the combination of inflation, high inventories, and rising prices of canned tuna has led EU importers to seek increased imports from countries offering preferential tariffs, such as Vietnam. However, the current global situation regarding skipjack tuna prices remains unsettled. Moreover, the preferential tariff quotas allocated to Vietnam's canned tuna products under the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) are nearing exhaustion. Consequently, Vietnam's exports of this item are anticipated to decline in the latter half of the year.
|
TOP 10 VIETNAM TUNA EXPORTERS TO THE EU, Jan-May/2023 |
||
|
No |
Company |
Proportion (%) |
|
1 |
FOODTECH |
15 |
|
2 |
BIFISCO |
13 |
|
3 |
YUEH CHYANG CANNED FOOD |
13 |
|
4 |
KTCFOOD |
8 |
|
5 |
TRANG THUY SEAFOOD |
8 |
|
6 |
TUNA VIETNAM |
5 |
|
7 |
CANFOCO DANANG |
5 |
|
8 |
AHFISHCO |
5 |
|
9 |
EDISON FOODS |
4 |
|
10 |
HAI TRIEU Co., Ltd |
4 |
|
(Source: Customs data) |
||
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.069 billion, up 17.5% compared to the same period in 2025. This is a positive result amid an uneven global shrimp market recovery, intensifying competition among major suppliers, and continued volatility in the international trade environment. However, this growth does not reflect a broad-based recovery across the entire sector, but rather is driven mainly by strong performance in a few markets and specific product segments—most notably lobster exports to China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports continued to decline in March 2026. Cumulatively, in the first three months of the year, export value reached USD 208 million, down 4% compared to the same period in 2025. The export landscape shows clear divergence across markets: while the U.S. and EU remain challenging, markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Egypt, the Philippines, and Mexico have emerged as growth bright spots.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Quang Ngai Province, shrimp farming costs are rising sharply due to लगातार increases in feed, fuel, and input material prices, while farm-gate shrimp prices are declining. This has significantly reduced farmers’ profit margins and increased production risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn