According to statistics of Vietnam Customs, by the end of 2021, Russia and Ukraine are two of the 20 largest importers of Vietnamese tuna by value. Both these countries are importing a lot of frozen tuna from Vietnam.
As for the Russian market, the 13th largest tuna import market of Vietnam, the value of Vietnam's tuna exports to this market in the past 10 years has increased from 364 thousand USD in 2012 to more than 14 million USD in 2021, increased more than 39 times. Although in the past 5 years, the export value of tuna to this market has not been stable, but it is on an uptrend and recovering well after the pandemic.
Tuna exports to Russia in 2021 account for 2% of the total tuna export value of foreign fish, an increase of 58% compared to 2020, and even higher than in 2019, the time before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. And in January 2022 alone, tuna exports to this market increased by 427% over the same period.
For Ukraine market, the 19th largest tuna import market of Vietnam, the export value of tuna has increased 58 times in 10 years, from 115 thousand USD in 2012 to 6.8 million USD in 2021. In the past 5 years, the value of tuna exports to Ukraine has increased continuously. In 2021 alone, exports increased by 106% compared to 2020, and tripled compared to 2019, accounting for 1% of Vietnam's total tuna export value.
According to businesses, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine broke out, some orders had to be returned, and tuna export transactions to both countries had to be halted due to risks in banking transactions. Supply chains for production and import and export are broken. Businesses are having to monitor the situation to handle inventory or find ways to export to other markets.
Besides, Russia and Ukraine are the most important suppliers of sunflower oil to the global market, including Vietnam, so if the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, this will affect directly to the tuna industry. Prices for most vegetable oils are now up to all-time highs in January 2022, while canned tuna processors are facing unprecedentedly high sunflower oil prices. The high price of sunflower oil will push up the production cost of canned/bag tuna.
The oil market has been under pressure from the global pandemic and the Omicron variant. Prices have also begun to rise since the escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Rising fuel costs are expected to push up raw tuna prices due to rising fishing costs. Besides, sea freight rates already at exorbitant levels are expected to continue to rise higher. And now major shipping lines have announced not to transport to and from Russia, increasing shipping costs...
Faced with this situation, although the two markets do not account for a large proportion of Vietnam's total tuna exports, but before the above impacts, it is expected that Vietnam's tuna exports in the coming months will "decelerate".
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
(vasep.com.vn) Australia is emerging as one of the most stable and promising growth markets for Vietnamese shrimp. Amid global trade disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly conflicts in the Middle East—strengthening and expanding into stable markets like Australia has become increasingly important for Vietnam’s shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports reached over USD 111 million, up 23% compared to the same period in 2025. This result indicates a positive start for the sector, reflecting early signs of demand recovery in multiple markets from the beginning of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s fisheries sector maintained positive growth momentum, with shrimp output exceeding 132 thousand tons. This result contributed to a strong increase in seafood export turnover, despite ongoing volatility in the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in February 2026, with many markets recording sharp increases compared to the same period last year. In February alone, export value reached USD 8.4 million, up 148% year-on-year. Cumulatively, in the first two months of 2026, total tilapia export turnover hit USD 23 million, soaring 242% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In global seafood trade, sensory evaluation is increasingly becoming one of the key “technical barriers” in many importing markets-especially the United States. Issues such as filth, and signs of decomposition/spoilage are often detected through sensory evaluation methods and remain common reasons for seafood import alerts, detentions, or shipment rejections.
Shrimp has been the most important export product of Vietnam’s seafood industry for many years, typically accounting for 35–45% of the country’s total seafood export value. With a well-developed farming, processing, and export system, Vietnam has become one of the world’s leading shrimp exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, the global food market is facing increasing volatility in logistics costs, energy prices, and supply chains. In the seafood sector, alongside ocean-caught products such as tuna, the surimi-based product group—including fish cakes, crab sticks, fish balls, and other imitation seafood products—has also been affected to some extent by these developments.
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