According to statistics of Vietnam Customs, Vietnam's tuna exports decreased continuously in the first 2 months of 2021. Japan continued to drop in the ranking of the largest tuna import markets of Vietnam. .
This year, the structure of Vietnam's tuna exports to Japan has also changed. If in the previous years, processed and canned tuna was the main export product group of Vietnam to this market, this year Japan tended to increase imports of fresh, frozen tuna - the increase is up to 91% over the same period in 2020. Meanwhile, the import of processed and canned tuna products decreased by 49%.
Currently, according to statistics of the World Trade Center (ITC), Japan is also reducing imports from other countries. Japan's import of tuna in the first 2 months of 2021 decreased by 15% in volume compared to 2020.
The Covid-19 epidemic continued to affect heavily on the Japanese tuna market. Since Japan removed its emergency at the end of May 2020, the Japanese tuna market is expected to bounce back. However, delaying major events and public vigilance about dining out have slowed market recovery.
By 2021, after a long period of confidently controlling the epidemic, Japan is currently facing the 4th Covid-19 epidemic wave. The number of Covid-19 cases in Japan is skyrocketing. There is a state of emergency in place in six major Japanese prefectures including Tokyo and Osaka. The government is proposing to tighten the anti-epidemic measures, and is expected to cancel the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. This will make the Japanese tuna market difficult to recover. Japan's imports of tuna are expected to remain low, due to reduced demand.
By the end of February 2021, there were 11 Vietnamese enterprises participating in tuna export to Japan.
(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).
(vasep.com.vn) Australia is emerging as one of the most stable and promising growth markets for Vietnamese shrimp. Amid global trade disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly conflicts in the Middle East—strengthening and expanding into stable markets like Australia has become increasingly important for Vietnam’s shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports reached over USD 111 million, up 23% compared to the same period in 2025. This result indicates a positive start for the sector, reflecting early signs of demand recovery in multiple markets from the beginning of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s fisheries sector maintained positive growth momentum, with shrimp output exceeding 132 thousand tons. This result contributed to a strong increase in seafood export turnover, despite ongoing volatility in the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in February 2026, with many markets recording sharp increases compared to the same period last year. In February alone, export value reached USD 8.4 million, up 148% year-on-year. Cumulatively, in the first two months of 2026, total tilapia export turnover hit USD 23 million, soaring 242% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In global seafood trade, sensory evaluation is increasingly becoming one of the key “technical barriers” in many importing markets-especially the United States. Issues such as filth, and signs of decomposition/spoilage are often detected through sensory evaluation methods and remain common reasons for seafood import alerts, detentions, or shipment rejections.
Shrimp has been the most important export product of Vietnam’s seafood industry for many years, typically accounting for 35–45% of the country’s total seafood export value. With a well-developed farming, processing, and export system, Vietnam has become one of the world’s leading shrimp exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, the global food market is facing increasing volatility in logistics costs, energy prices, and supply chains. In the seafood sector, alongside ocean-caught products such as tuna, the surimi-based product group—including fish cakes, crab sticks, fish balls, and other imitation seafood products—has also been affected to some extent by these developments.
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