In the first half of this year, export of live/fresh/frozen tuna had a good growth rate. In contrast, export of canned tuna grew slowly. Particularly, other tuna processed products (frozen skipjack/yellowfin tuna loin, bagged yellowfin/skipjack tuna in oil, frozen tuna flake...) tended to decrease over the same period in 2018.
In general, the main markets for Vietnam's tuna exports have grown well as of the end of June compared to the same period except Israel, ASEAN and Japan. Notably in this quarter, Vietnam's tuna exports to the EU has grown again.
The US
In the last 3 months, tuna exports to the US still maintains good growth momentum. In the first 6 months of 2019, Vietnam's tuna exports to the US reached US$159 million, up 61% compared to the same period in 2018.
From May 10, 2019, the US officially imposed a new tax on Chinese tuna industry, up from 10% to 25%. China was the main tuna exporter for the US market. The country is holding the majority of market share in the frozen tuna loin market segment of the US. This has led American companies to find alternative supplies from other countries such as Vietnam and Thailand. Therefore, compared to the same period in 2018, the export of Vietnamese tuna products to the US rose.
The EU
After the difficulties in raw materials imports in the first months of the year were solved, Vietnam's tuna exports to the EU in the second quarter of 2019 recovered, partly offseting the decline in the first 3 months of the year. Total tuna export value of Vietnam to the EU in the first 6 months of 2019 reached nearly US$71 million, up by 0.7% year on year.
With outstanding growth in June, Italy has become the largest tuna importer of Vietnam in the EU. Compared to the same period in 2018, Italy tended to increase imports of live/fresh and frozen tuna of Vietnam. In addition, notably export other processed tuna (such as frozen steamed tuna loins ...), raw materials for processing canned tuna, also increased sharply over the same period last year.
While tuna exports to the Netherlands in June dropped. However, due to good export growth of the previous 5 months, Vietnam's tuna export value to this market in the first 6 months still climbed over the same period. The Netherlands was the largest importer of frozen tuna fillet/loin code of HS0304 in the EU, accounting for more than 31% of the total import value of this product line from Vietnam.
Japan
In June, Vietnam's tuna exports to Japan showed positive signs. However, due to continuous decline in the previous 5 months, Vietnam's tuna exports to Japan in the first 6 months of 2019 was still down 9% compared to the same period in 2018. Overall, export of tuna products of Vietnam to Japan all increased over the same period, except for frozen tuna fillet/loin. In particular, the export proportion of canned processed tuna of Vietnam to Japan tended to go up so far.
It is forecasted that Vietnam's tuna exports in the coming time will continue to grow. Two new-generation trade agreements, CPTPP and EVFTA, are expected to bring more opportunities to penetrate market for Vietnamese businesses.
(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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the week from April 4th to 10th, 2026, Quang Ngai province intensified its monitoring and law enforcement activities with the determination to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanh Hoa’s shrimp sector is undergoing a strong transformation by accelerating the adoption of high technology, helping to improve productivity, increase profits, and meet market demands. The province currently has about 4,100 hectares of shrimp farming, with output continuing to rise despite stable farming area, mainly due to the shift from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive farming.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang City has fully implemented all recommendations from the European Commission (EC) regarding the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, creating an important foundation for the removal of the “yellow card” in the near future.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Hoa Vang district (Da Nang City), red tilapia farming is demonstrating clear economic efficiency, becoming a promising livelihood that helps many households increase their income. A notable example is the model of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Nam, who operates two red tilapia ponds covering more than 4 hectares, generating stable annual income.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn