The export growth rate to main markets in August tended to slow down. In addition to the decline in exports to the EU, Israel and China, tuna exports to Canada in this month also showed signs of slipping.
The US
Tuna exports to the US were very positive in August with a growth rate of 31%. As a result, the total value of tuna exports to the US in the first 8 months of 2019 climbbed by 56% over the same period in 2018. Exports of tuna product groups of Vietnam to the US all have increased over the same period in 2018, except live, fresh, frozen and dried tuna (excluding frozen tuna filets/loin). Among the product groups, frozen tuna filets/loin remained the largest proportion of Vietnam's total tuna exports to the US at 63%. Although canned tuna products accounted for a smaller share, yet exports this products are growing rapidly.
EU
Vietnamese tuna exports to the EU have not recovered. Tuna export value to this market continued to go down over the same period in 2018, reaching only nearly US$96 million, down 6.3%. Notwithstanding, the good news was that exports to Italy and Spain, the two largest tuna importers in Europe, are increasing tuna imports from Vietnam. Currently Italia and Spain are also the two largest importers of Vietnamese tuna in the EU.
Italia increased imports of live, fresh, frozen and dried tuna (excluding frozen tuna filets/loin) and other processed tuna (frozen steamed tuna loin...) while Spain tended to rise import of canned tuna and frozen tuna loin/fillets.
In contrast, tuna exports to the Netherlands continued to decline in August. Hence, the total export value of tuna to this market in the first 8 months of 2019, down 11.5%, only reaching nearly US$15 million.
ASEAN
In August, Vietnamese tuna exports to ASEAN continued to climb. However, the amount of growth was still not enough to offset the decline in the previous months, so the export value in the first 8 months of 2019 only reached US$ 33 million, down 0.9% over the same period in 2018. At present, Vietnamese live, fresh, frozen and dried fresh tuna exports to ASEAN are on the rise, while canned tuna exports tends to decrease.
Japan
In August 2019 tuna exports to Japanese market continued to grow well, reaching US$3.2 million, up 48% over the same period in 2018. In particular, the export of Vietnamese tuna product groups to the US all rose over the same period in 2018, except for frozen tuna fillets/loin. Notably, the group of canned tuna products tended to climbbed over the same period in 2018.
It is forecasted that tuna exports shall go up in the last months of the year, yet the growth rate will be at average level.
(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.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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