According to data from Vietnam Customs, the export turnover of tuna products from Vietnam in the first month of the year dropped by 16% compared to the same period, reaching over 66 million USD.
Among the various tuna product categories, all experienced a decline, except for fresh, frozen, and dried tuna (HS03 code) — excluding frozen tuna meat/loin (HS0304). Canned tuna exports saw the most significant decline, with a 36% decrease compared to the same period. This decline is attributed to the shortage of supply from domestic tuna fleets, making it difficult for Vietnamese canned tuna products to compete in markets with Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) like the EU, CPTPP, etc.
Vietnam’s tuna exports in January 2025 to major markets such as the US, EU, Israel, Japan, and Canada have all decreased compared to the same period last year.
Tuna exports to the US dropped slightly by 2%, totaling nearly 26 million USD. With concerns over potential tax increases, US importers increased their imports in the last months of 2024, which has led to high inventory levels in the early months of 2025. Moreover, fears over President Donald Trump's decision to impose new tariffs have caused US importers to limit new order placements. These factors are expected to impact tuna imports in the US during the early months of 2025.
Exports to the EU were also not promising in the first month, decreasing by 13%. Notably, canned tuna exports to this market dropped sharply by 21% compared to the same period. The preferential tariff quotas under the EVFTA agreement have been reactivated, but the ongoing shortage of domestic tuna supply continues to hinder canned tuna exports to this market.
Exports to markets within the CPTPP bloc also showed little improvement. Exports to Japan and Canada decreased significantly, with a reduction of 26% and 36%, respectively.
In 2025, the global tuna market is expected to continue fluctuating due to changes in consumer behavior, tariff policies, and supply-demand volatility. The free trade agreements between Vietnam and other countries will provide advantages for Vietnamese tuna exports to markets such as the EU, UAE, Japan, Canada, and more. However, meeting the origin rules remains a major challenge for the Vietnamese tuna industry. Standards for traceability, sustainable fishing, and combating IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing are becoming mandatory conditions in major markets.
(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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