Vietnam's tuna products have been exported to 81 markets. In general, in the first quarter, Vietnam's tuna exports to major markets increased over the same period. The US, EU, Canada, Israel, Japan, Egypt, Thailand and the Philippines are the 8 largest single tuna import markets of Vietnam.
The US
After a decline in the first two months of the year, Vietnam's tuna exports to the US in March recovered, so cumulative exports in the first three months of the year increased by 2.1% over the same period in 2020, reaching more than 63 million USD. Vietnam exports the most frozen tuna meat/fillets with HS code 03048700 and frozen steamed tuna meat/loin with HS code 16041490 to the US market. The average export price of tuna products with HS code 03048700 in the first three months of this year was at $6,488/ton, down 14% over the same period in 2020. The average export price of tuna products with HS code 16041490 was at $6,488/ton, down 10%. Currently, the average export price of these two product groups of Vietnam tends to increase gradually month by month, contrary to the trend of the same period last year.
EU
In March, Vietnam's tuna exports to the EU also increased, bringing the total export value to this market in the first three months of the year to more than 28 million USD, up 9% over the same period in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread in the EU countries has made the demand for canned tuna in this region continue to increase. Besides, the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Vietnam (EVFTA) taking effect, allowing 11,500 tons of canned tuna from Vietnam to be exempt from export tax to the EU, is creating a driving force to promote exports to the market bloc. this. Therefore, Vietnam's canned tuna exports to the EU increased by 27% over the same period. Along with that, exports of fresh and frozen tuna with HS code 03 (except frozen tuna meat/fillet code SH0304) also increased over the same period.
Other markets
In the first three months of the year, Vietnam's tuna exports to large traditional markets such as the US and EU faced many difficulties due to lack of containers, increased transportation costs, etc. Therefore, many Vietnamese tuna exporters Nam has shifted to expand exports to other markets such as Korea, China... to offset the decline in major export markets. Compared to the same period last year, the growth rate of exports to Korea and China in this quarter was 378% and 51% respectively.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.069 billion, up 17.5% compared to the same period in 2025. This is a positive result amid an uneven global shrimp market recovery, intensifying competition among major suppliers, and continued volatility in the international trade environment. However, this growth does not reflect a broad-based recovery across the entire sector, but rather is driven mainly by strong performance in a few markets and specific product segments—most notably lobster exports to China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports continued to decline in March 2026. Cumulatively, in the first three months of the year, export value reached USD 208 million, down 4% compared to the same period in 2025. The export landscape shows clear divergence across markets: while the U.S. and EU remain challenging, markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Egypt, the Philippines, and Mexico have emerged as growth bright spots.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Quang Ngai Province, shrimp farming costs are rising sharply due to लगातार increases in feed, fuel, and input material prices, while farm-gate shrimp prices are declining. This has significantly reduced farmers’ profit margins and increased production risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
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