France: The potential market of Vietnam tuna

In 2010, France bought 12 thousand MT of tuna, worth by EUR 38 million. The country is the fourth largest importer in volume in the block, representing 5.6 percent, after Belgium (0.8 percent) and Portugal (6.1 percent)

Annually, France imported about 8,000 MT of tuna, valued at EUR 23 million from developing countries. From 2005 to date, export volume of tuna from the countries increased by 13 percent per annum. On par with other European countries, France is the third largest importer of tuna from developing countries with the proportion of 5.6 percent.

Developing countries supplying tuna to France are Ivory Coast (18 percent), Philippines (16 percent), South Africa (9 percent), Sri Lanka (5.4 percent) and Ecuador (4 percent).

In recent years, Philippines, Ivory Coast and South Africa boosted exporting tuna to France: The proportion of Philippines and Ivory Coast increased by 29 percent and the proportion of South Africa increased by 27 percent.

Vietnam tuna exports to France touched nearly US$3.9 million in 2011. In the period between 2009 and 2011, Vietnam tuna exports to the market reported a sharp growth. However, tuna exports in 2012 seemed to stall.

For the year to November 2012, total tuna exports hit US$3.6 million, down 1 percent on par with the same period of 2011. Compared to the previous years, tuna products of Vietnam are more diversified and processors also strengthen to export processed tuna products to the market.

Tuna industry in France is dominated by some main tuna companies (Saupiquet and Paul Paulet/Petit Navire) and highly internationalized. French tuna companies switched their processing plants to the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) with an aim that they can enjoy low costs for production and their plants are close to fishing ports. Thus, French tuna industry can build and intensify vertical link among fishers, processors and distributors.  

Canned tuna facilities in France shifted to use cooked and frozen tuna loin as raw material to process tuna salad and tuna starters.

As the result of the internationalization of tuna sector, in the past decade, France is increasingly depending much on tuna loin products and canned tuna imported from processing plants of France and Spain located in ACP countries and the North America. These products are imported directly into France or indirectly through other European countries such as Spain and Italy.

Like many European tuna importers, French importers are increasingly interested in tuna caught in sustainable fishing method. Although tuna imports into French market are relatively modest compared to that of the western countries in the EU block, tuna processing industry in France is developing strongly. Thus, France is in high demand for frozen tuna to process. France will be the potential market for Vietnam tuna exporters.

In the long term, if Vietnam exporters want to remain European markets, they should focus on eliminating illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing with an aim to be certified sustainable catch.