Tuna production downed 15 percent year-on-year to 13 thousand MT in 2013 due to unfavorable weather conditions, high fuel cost for offshore fishing. Some fishing vessels suffered from losses due to low raw tuna price caused by its low quality.
Vietnam tuna exports in 2013 reported a year-on-year reduction although the number of importers of Vietnam tuna increased by 16 ones to 112 ones. In Q.IV/2013, Vietnam tuna sales hit US$112 million, down 16 percent year-on-year. The cumulative figure to the end of 2013 was US$526 million, down 7.2 percent.
The U.S., Japan, ASEAN, Israel, Tunisia, Canada and Mexico were leading importers of Vietnam tuna. They made up 86 percent of Vietnam’s total tuna exports.
Tuna shipment in 2013 saw a downfall mainly due to reduction in tuna exports to 3 leading markets (the U.S., Japan and ASEAN). Out of Vietnam’s total tuna exports, the proportion of tuna exports to the U.S., Japan downed 7 percent, 1.5 percent, respectively but proportion of exported tuna to EU up 4 percent.
The U.S.: Tuna exports to the market in 2013 gained US$187.4 million, down 23.4 percent year-on-year. Sales of dried/frozen/live/fresh tuna to the market downed 35 percent to US$95.68 million while sales of processed tuna downed 6.1 percent to US$ 91.7 million.
EU: Vietnam tuna sales to the block in 2013 hit US$140.7 million, up 24.4 percent year-on-year. In QIV/2013, exports of the item to 3 leading importers among EU block (Germany, Italy and Spain) saw a downfall.
In 2013, exporting processed tuna products to EU rose 81 percent with turnover of US$73 million while the country downed 7.4 percent in selling dried/frozen/live/fresh tuna to the market with earnings of US$67.9 million.
Japan: Vietnam tuna sales to the market in 2013 reached only US$42 million, down 22.1 percent year-on-year. Shipment of processed tuna to the market posted a year-on-year growth of 11 percent with revenue of US$6.6 million. However, the increase failed to offset the reduction of 26 percent in exporting dried/frozen/live/fresh tuna to the market with earnings of US$35.3 million.
ASEAN: In the first half of 2013, Vietnam tuna sales to ASEAN reported a great growth, however in late 2013, sales to the market were on downward trend. As the result, tuna exports in 2013 to the market downed 3.6 percent to US$35.5 million. In the year, ASEAN raised importing other processed tuna products from Vietnam with year-over-year growth of 9 percent. But, ASEAN’s imports of dried/frozen/live/fresh tuna (ext. tuna HS code 0304); tuna HS code 0304 (ext. fish cake and surimi) and canned tuna from Vietnam downed 16 percent, 2.5 percent and 48 percent, respectively.
Vietnam’s tuna industry in 2013 faced many bottlenecks which are high tuna inventory from main markets, lack of raw tuna, stricter requirements from importer markets. To ensure raw material for processing, domestic tuna processors must source raw tuna from other countries, however, they faced hiking import duty and complicated import procedures.
In 2014, Vietnam’s total tuna exports are expected to hit US$550 million, only up 4 percent year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
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