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) 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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