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.
(vasep.com.vn) On November 11, 2026, in Can Tho, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will organize the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029: Opportunities and Headroom for Double-Digit Export Growth.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Business leader Do Ngoc Tai, General Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, was honored by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with the title “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur – Thanh Giong Cup 2026” at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). The event took place on the evening of October 11, 2026, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market is becoming increasingly segmented, not only among producing countries but also by product type and destination market. Supply is divided into groups with distinct competitive advantages: large volumes of whole fish and frozen fillets from Asia, high-value fresh fillets from Latin America, and substantial domestic consumption in several major producing countries.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK grew in the first eight months of 2026, despite signs of slowing import demand in the market. However, sharp fluctuations in orders, competition from major suppliers, and new traceability requirements are creating challenges for Vietnamese exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam is stepping up efforts to combat illegal fishing, protect marine ecosystems, expand digital monitoring, and develop science-based management to ensure the sea can support communities and the economy for generations to come.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The EU remains a critical market for Vietnamese shrimp; however, purchasing demand and import patterns are undergoing notable changes. According to Vietnam Customs data, as of September 15, 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU reached nearly $374 million, down 5% year-over-year and accounting for 10.7% of the country’s total shrimp export value. Meanwhile, the EU’s stotal shrimp imports through July 2026 contracted by 7% in volume, exhibiting divergent trends across Southern Europe, Northwestern Europe and Eastern Europe. These dynamics necessitate that Vietnamese enterprises closely monitor individualized market demand, rather than approaching the EU as a monolithic consumer block.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of surimi and fish cakes remained relatively stable year-over-year compared to 2025. Following a contraction in the initial months, export performance demonstrated improvement from June onward, peaking in August. However, the recovery has been uneven, characterized by divergent trends across major markets: robust growth was recorded in China, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan, whereas export volumes to South Korea, Indonesia, and select European markets contracted.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains one of Dong Thap’s key aquaculture species, with the province focusing on developing an integrated value chain covering seed production, commercial farming, deep processing and by-product utilization. The province is promoting high-tech, circular pangasius farming models featuring reduced water exchange and enhanced biosecurity, aiming to improve production efficiency and strengthen control over raw material quality.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in September 2026 are estimated at US$1.135 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, bringing total exports in the first nine months of the year to US$9.103 billion, up 11.4%. Behind this double-digit growth, however, increasingly divergent market trends are emerging: China–Hong Kong and ASEAN posted strong growth, while the U.S., EU and Japan all recorded declines in September.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Brazil became the largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, with export value reaching US$44 million, up 22,142% year-on-year and accounting for 49% of Vietnam’s total tilapia exports. In August alone, exports to Brazil reached US$4 million. However, behind this remarkable growth is a market that is imposing increasingly stringent requirements on imported supplies.
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