In the first quarter of this year, exports of fresh and frozen tuna products with HS code 03 (except HS code 0304) to the EU increased by 64% and canned tuna exports increased by 27% over the same period. In contrast, exports of frozen tuna meat/fillets under HS code 0304 decreased by 6.4% and other processed tuna products under HS code 16 decreased by 25%. The Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Vietnam (EVFTA), effective from August 2020, allows the elimination of tariffs for fresh and frozen tuna products (except for frozen tuna loins/fillets with HS code 0304). ) and 11,500 tons of canned tuna from Vietnam, this has created an attraction for these Vietnamese products for EU tuna importers.
In the first months of 2021, Vietnam became the 4th largest supplier of tuna to the EU market.
Italy, Germany and the Netherlands are the three largest importers of Vietnamese tuna in the EU. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic still limits the supply of tuna to this market. Besides, in the context of Covid and high transportation costs, the fact that Vietnam's tuna products are entitled to preferential tariffs under the EVFTA agreement has made many EU importers choose Vietnamese tuna exporters.
Vietnam's tuna exports to Italy continued to grow spectacularly in the first 3 months of the year. Italy is also the second largest tuna importer in the EU. According to ITC statistics, Vietnam is the third largest tuna supplier to the Italian market after Indonesia and China. Italy imports a lot of fresh and frozen tuna from Vietnam, especially frozen quarter-cut yellowfin tuna products, accounting for 76% of total export value.
In the German market, Vietnam's tuna exports in the first three months of this year only increased slightly over the same period. Germany imports a lot of frozen tuna meat/fillets from Vietnam with HS code 03048700, accounting for 92% of total export value.
According to Eurostat statistics, EU countries mainly import processed and canned tuna products in 2020, accounting for 78%. When Covid-19 hit, retailers' sales skyrocketed along with imports. However, in the second half of the year, this trend has reversed and statistics show that canned tuna imports of this market in the fourth quarter have fallen sharply. For the whole of 2020, the Covid-19 Pandemic has caused consumers to stock up on canned tuna. But when things have calmed down and Europeans have learned to actively prepare for social distancing, retailers' sales have not skyrocketed as before. Many importers have delayed contractual imports and in many cases have not even made any new purchases. Therefore, in 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to spread in EU countries, but the EU's imports of processed and canned tuna in the first month of the year only increased slightly by 3% over the same period in 2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
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