According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, the export value of Vietnamese tuna to Italy has been declining continuously month by month since June. Export turnover decreased from USD 6 million in June to just over USD 281,000 in November 2024, and is lower than the same period in 2023.
Currently, Italy is reducing imports of processed and canned tuna products from Vietnam compared to the same period. Among these, exports of frozen steamed tuna loin (HS code 16) have decreased the most sharply, by 50% compared to the same period. Canned tuna products have decreased by 16%.
According to businesses, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which officially came into effect, created opportunities for Vietnamese tuna products to penetrate the Italian market more deeply. Benefiting from the agreement, Vietnamese businesses have an advantage due to reduced tariffs and expanded export opportunities to this market. In addition, favorable geographical location, competitive labor costs, and extensive participation in the global value chain are important factors consolidating Vietnam's role and position in the Italian market.
Tuna industry faces difficulties right from the "input" stage
However, since Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP, effective from May 19, 2024, came into effect, it has caused a shortage of domestic skipjack tuna supply, affecting businesses' export activities to various markets.
Moreover, with less than one month left until the 2025 Lunar New Year, according to information from local fisheries sub-departments, many tuna fishing vessels in key provinces are still docked, with no clear date for returning to sea.
According to feedback from fishermen, while previously wholesalers purchased skipjack tuna at VND 30,000/kg, they are currently only buying at VND 17,000-19,000/kg. With this purchase price, if they do not lose money on fuel, they will lose money on labor costs, so ship owners have decided to keep their vessels docked.
According to the regulations in Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP, the smallest permissible length for harvested skipjack tuna is 50cm. However, the output harvested by fishermen is mainly tuna under 2kg/fish and with a size of 30cm or less. Meanwhile, the output of fish that can meet the minimum size specified in Decree 37 accounts for only about 10%, leading to harvested fish not meeting the standards, so businesses do not purchase them.
This situation is causing difficulties for fishermen and will also cause businesses to lack a supply of raw materials with purely Vietnamese origin to enjoy tariff preferences under the EVFTA agreement. Therefore, it is expected that exports of frozen steamed tuna loin and canned tuna from Vietnam, not only to Italy but also to other markets in the first months of 2025, will hardly be able to maintain growth.
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(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.
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