Processed tuna continued to be the main export product of China, accounting for over 53% of total export volume. In 2019, China tended to boost exports of processed tuna products, while reducing exports of live/fresh and frozen tuna products to markets. Compared to the same period in 2018, the country's canned tuna exports in the first 11 months of 2019 increased by 16%, while exports of live/fresh and frozen tuna fell by 12%.
In 2019, tuna products of China were exported to more than 86 markets in the world. In particular, EU, Thailand, Japan, the Philippines, Algeria, Vietnam, Russia and Iran were the 8 largest tuna importers of China, accounting for 77% of total tuna export volume of this country.
In 2019, due to the impact of the US-China trade war, China's tuna products exports to the US were subject to high tariffs of up to 25%, reducing the competitiveness of Chinese tuna products in the US market. Therefore, in 2019, China's tuna exports to the US sank. China, as a main supplier of tuna for the US market, has lost market share to Asian countries such as Thailand and Vietnam. The United States was also out of the list of the largest Chinese tuna importer. Instead, in 2019 Chinese tuna exporters shifted their exports to EU markets to offset the decline in the US market. In the first 11 months of 2019, China's tuna exports to the EU increased by 42% in volume and 18% in value. The EU was the largest importer for canned tuna products from China in 2019. Other than EU, China also tended to increase tuna exports to Middle Eastern countries, especially Iran. In recent years, China's tuna exports to Iran market have tended to grow continuously. In the first 11 months of 2019 alone, China's tuna exports to Iran increased by 19% in volume and 8% in value. Given this export trend of China, competition in the Middle East tuna market is expected to be more severe.
Besides, with the resource of being the largest fishing fleet in the world, China was the supplier of raw tuna for processing and re-export of some countries in Asia such as Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. These contries imported alot of skipjack, yellowfin and frozen bigeye tuna from China. By the end of November 2019, while Thailand tended to increase tuna imports from China, imports of Vietnam and the Philippines decreased.
However, by early 2020, due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 in this country, China's tuna exports were stagnant, and tuna consumption in markets was also affected. It is expected that China's tuna exports will drop sharply, especially in the first months of 2020. The decline in tuna exports of China means that the supply of tuna materials on the world market will also be significantly affected.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
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