The most exported products to the US market were frozen loin/fillets tuna (HS code 0304), accounting for 62%. At the same time, exports also climbed sharply by nearly 58% over the same period in 2018, reaching to US$99 million. Canned tuna accounted for the second largest proportion at 23%, reaching a turnover of US$37 million, up 37%. The third most exported product was other processed tuna, accounting for 14%, also up strongly by 179% with US$22 million, mainly skipjack and steamed yellowfin tuna loin.
According to the statistics of the World Trade Center, the demand for US tuna imports increased by 5.6% in the first 4 months of 2019. Of which, canned tuna imports still accounted for the highest proportion of the total tuna import value of the US at 58%. However compared to the same period in 2018, this product line declined by 2%. US imports of frozen tuna loin/fillet products accounted for the second largest proportion, accounting for 23% and tended to increase, up 30% over the same period in 2018.
In the market segment of frozen tuna filets/loin, Vietnam is currently the second supplier for the US market, accounting for 31%, after Indonesia at 44%. Followed by Philippines at 7%, Taiwan at 2.9% and Canada at 2.8%. In general, at the beginning of this year, the US has tended to increase imports of this product line from other suppliers.
Meanwhile, in the segment of processed and canned tuna products, Vietnam ranked third, accounting for 9.5% of market share, after Thailand (46%) and Ecuador (14%). In the first 4 months of this year, the US declined 2.4% of processed tuna import value, of which imports from Thailand went down by 3.3%, while still sharply increasing imports from Ecuador and Vietnam.
Besides, in the past 2 years, the US has tended to increase imports of tuna family products, of which China was the largest exporter of tuna family products to the US. In the first quarter of 2019, the US imported only 1,304 tons from China, equal to one third of the total import volume compared to the same period in 2018.
This decline was likely due to the China - US trade war, as the tax rate for these items from China has increased from 4% to 10%. However, the prices of these products were still significantly lower than that of skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna, or traditional longfin tuna, which were subjected to 12.5% of tax rate.
However, from 12:01 am on May 10, 2019, the US officially imposed a new import tax rate, increasing from 10% to 25%, for tuna products from China. This has reduced the competitiveness of Chinese tuna family products in the US market. US companies, therefor, will move to Thailand and Vietnam to find frozen tuna loin suppliers.
(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.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
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