According to statistics of Vietnam Customs, Vietnam’s tuna exports in August reached more than US$63 million, up 20% compared with August 2017. Therefore, tuna exports in the first eight months of this year increased by 11.6% over the same period in 2017, achieving nearly US$420 million. This growth was attributed by a rise in sales of fresh/live/frozen/dried tuna loins/fillets and other processed tuna from the same period last year. Besides, the recovery of exports to major markets such as the U.S, Japan, and Mexico in August also attributed to the growth of total sales.
The U.S
After 6 months of continuous decline, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the U.S recovered in August with the value of over US$21 million, up 4% compared with August 2017. However, the figure in Jan-Aug 2018 decreased by 6.4% over the same period last year, reaching nearly US$139 million.
Due to the trade war between the U.S and China with U.S’s 10% additional tax on Chinese products including major commercial species such as fresh and frozen skipjack, albacore tuna, yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna and bluefin tuna. This made the U.S turn to seek alternative sources from countries including Vietnam.
The EU
In August, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the EU continued to grow well. The tuna export value of Vietnam to the EU in this month reached US$18.9 million, up nearly 30% compared with August 2017; the figure in first eight months of the year amounted to US$102 million, up 26% compared to the same period last year.
Vietnam's tuna exports to Germany, the biggest tuna importer of Vietnam in the EU, continued to decline, while exports to the Netherlands and Spain still went up over the same period last year. Notably, tuna exports to the Netherlands in August shot up an impressive 166% rise compared with August 2017.
This year, despite the yellow card warning, thanks to the higher average tuna export price to EU than last year, the export situation to this market still gained positive growth.
Israel
With the continuous growth from March, tuna exports to Israel slowed down over the same period last year. Tuna exports to this market in August only reached US$7.3 million, down 29%; the figure in the first eight months hit over US$48 million. Thanks to the good growth in the previous 5 months, the total export value of the eight months was up 49% over the same period of 2017. And Israel remained as the third biggest importing market of Vietnamese tuna.
ASEAN
Vietnam’s tuna exports to ASEAN in August remained the good growth. In particular, the value of tuna exports to the Thai market increased impressively by 151% compared with August 2017. As a result, ASEAN continued to be the fourth largest buyer of Vietnamese tuna companies with total export value in the first eight months of this year of US$33 million, up 30% over the same period of 2017.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(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 - 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