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) 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.
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