In the US market, after a recovery in February, Vietnamese tuna exports to this market fell by 23% in March. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the US caused the country to impose a shutdown. Accordingly, the number of people allowed in public places is limited, citizens are required to restrict participation in activities ... this has reduced the demand for tuna in this market.
Similarly, Vietnamese tuna exports to the EU also dropped by over 27% in March 2020. With the number of cases and deaths from Covid-19 increasing in EU countries such as Spain, Italy and Germany, Vietnam's main tuna importers, trading activities to these markets are leveled off. The system of restaurants and hotels that have stopped operating to avoid spreading Covid-19 has also reduced demand for tuna in the market. Besides, inventories on the EU market are at high levels, even higher than before the Covid-19 outbreak. The reason is that the tuna price in the world market at the end of 2019 at a low level has made businesses hoard more. At present, although the contract has been signed, the market has no demand, many export shipments to the EU market have not been delivered or detained.
ASEAN continued to be the third-largest importer of Vietnam, in the first 3 months of 2020, export value to this market reached 9.6 million USD, down nearly 15% compared to the same period in 2019. In particular, Thailand - the largest single importer of Vietnamese tuna in the bloc, also down 15% over the same period in 2019. On March 24, 2020 the Thai government decided to declare a national emergency to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, which also led to the suspension of many orders of tuna to this market.
In addition to the major importers, Vietnamese tuna exports to other markets such as Japan, Canada or Egypt are showing optimistic growth over the same period in 2019. However, the value of exports to these markets is still small.
Thus, it can be seen that the outbreak of Covid-19 has been affecting tuna trade activities in the world. Besides, the pandemic also caused the trend of tuna consumption in the world market to change. According to statistics of markets, the application of social distancing measures in countries has led to a sharp decline in demand for live, fresh and frozen tuna. Meanwhile, demand for small-size canned tuna rose thanks to increased demand for the stockpile of consumers. This common trend is causing businesses to look for a way to increase production and export of processed tuna, reducing exports of fresh, or frozen.
However, the outbreak of pandemic is also affecting the supply of raw tuna in the world. Specifically, due to concerns about the spread of the pandemic, many Pacific Island nations implemented orders to blockade completely or declared an emergency, preventing ships from entering and unloading at ports. This also caused a limited supply of raw materials, affecting tuna production.
Meanwhile, the tuna catches in the Western and Central Pacific region are low, which has caused the price of raw tuna in this area to rise, the raw tuna price in Bangkok rose by 50% since the end of February. While, prices in other regions such as Malta, Seychelles remain stable, and are at lower levels.
(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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
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