Cumulatively in the first 8 months of 2021, Vietnam's tuna export value to China reached US$3.6 million, up 63% over the same period. From the end of May 2021, Zhanjiang - one of the major transshipment hubs in China has announced to suspend the import of frozen food from major seafood producing countries including India, Vietnam and Thailand. , along with 8 other Asian countries from June 20 to July 15, 2021. In addition, the outbreak of the fourth Covid-19 wave in Vietnam from the end of July has caused Vietnam's tuna exports to this market to tend to slow down from the beginning of the third quarter.
According to statistics of Vietnam Customs, China is increasing imports of frozen tuna meat/fillets with HS code 0304 and canned tuna from Vietnam. Among the tuna products exported from Vietnam to this market, frozen tuna meat/fillets with HS code 0304 accounted for 66% of the total export value, followed by canned tuna with 19%.
China imports a lot of tuna species, in which frozen whole skipjack tuna , purchased by tuna loin factories, accounts for the largest proportion. The majority of this tuna loin is exported to EU canning plants under an annual autonomous tariff quota (0%). Canned skipjack or other tuna products came in second, followed by frozen skipjack steaks, including mackerel.
In 2020, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, China's domestic demand for preserved products increased. The country's canned tuna imports increased by 71% compared to 2019, reaching 7,320 tons. However, entering 2021, experts expect canned tuna imports of this country to decrease, but will still be higher than 2019. In the first half of 2021, China's canned tuna imports only reached 2,218 tons. .
In addition, Chinese consumers continue to worry about corona virus infection from imported seafood. Therefore, this country increases domestic seafood consumption and will raise trade barriers in the near future. Even the control of Covid-19 through border gates and import ports will be tightened. Exports of frozen seafood products, including tuna, from Vietnam to this market are likely to slow down.
Currently, there are more than 23 Vietnamese tuna processing and exporting enterprises participating in exporting to the Chinese market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
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(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 81 million in April 2026, down 6% compared to the same period in 2025. In the first four months of the year, export turnover totaled USD 289 million, down 4.8%. Although the overall export picture has yet to brighten significantly, market trends are becoming increasingly diversified rather than moving in a single direction.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is undergoing strong restructuring starting from the broodstock and fingerling segment in order to improve productivity, quality, and export competitiveness. This is considered a critical foundation for the sustainable development of the industry amid rising production costs and increasingly stringent market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs data, pangasius exports in April 2026 reached USD 206 million, up 18% compared to the same period in 2025 — marking another consecutive month of double-digit growth since the beginning of the year. Cumulative pangasius export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 720 million, up 17% year-on-year, reflecting the positive growth momentum of this key export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the first four months of 2026 maintained positive growth momentum, reaching approximately USD 1.5 billion, up 15% compared to the same period last year. However, behind this result lies diverging trends across markets, as the global shrimp industry continues to face pressure from inflation, high inventories, price competition, and increasing trade risks.
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