US Canned Tuna Import Volume Showing Signs Of Recovery

News 15:57 13/09/2014 502
After a dramatic decline in canned tuna imports last year, the first four months of 2013 have proved more promising for the U.S. tuna market as well as the countries that rely heavily on their exports to the world’s largest tuna importing nation.

In 2012 the total import volume of canned tuna for the U.S. shrank to 20.7 million cartons, down 25 percent from the 27.5 million it received in 2011, resulting in a significant reduction in exports for its top supplying countries, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam.

This worrying drop in sales was devastating for exporters as U.S. tuna brands struggled to stay afloat due to record high raw material prices, negative publicity on mercury in tuna, and most significantly, a decline in consumer demand for canned tuna.

But the first four months of this year have shown promising signs that U.S. tuna sales are improving, as increased volumes of canned tuna were shipped into the country, up approximately 20 percent in January and a considerable 36 percent in February when compared to the previous year. As usual, January shows significantly higher figures than other months due to the U.S. single duty quota, with import tax on canned tuna in brine at six percent rather than 12.5 percent at this time of year.

Thailand, as the main supplier of canned tuna to the U.S. will reap benefits from this shift after facing worrying times last year when exports to America dropped considerably by around 29 percent over 2012 for its tuna producers. The rise of U.S. imports in the first quarter of this year will help them to continue benefitting financially from the industry as global leaders.

The most dramatic difference in import figures occurred in 2001 when the average American was recorded to eat 1.3 kg of tuna annually, compared to 1.5 kg in the previous year. This figure has decreased even more and in 2011 stood at 1.2 kg.

The decline in consumer demand of canned tuna in the U.S. for 2012 was predicted to be due to several reasons, including the consequence of declining product quality, with increased hydro proteins and vegetable broths being used in cans to get high retention rates. Thai Union owned, major U.S. brand Chicken of the Sea responded with the introduction of no drain products that are said to have become a sales hit in America.

Statistics from the first four months of this year show that 2013 could be a much better year for the U.S. in terms of canned tuna imports. Attention will now be focused towards whether this increase in imports will be short-lived, which may be indicated by  the soft  May figures, or if future months will reveal it as an ongoing upward trend. 

Bạn đang đọc bài viết US Canned Tuna Import Volume Showing Signs Of Recovery tại chuyên mục News của Hiệp hội VASEP

TIN MỚI CẬP NHẬT

Strengthen control over fishing vessels and trace the origin of harvested seafood.

 |  09:34 21/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.

Tilapia Exports Surge but Begin to Slow in June

 |  14:45 20/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.

Sa Giang Honored with "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" Certification

 |  14:48 18/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).

China has become the largest importer of Vietnamese seafood.

 |  12:47 17/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.

International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program at Vietfish 2026: Connecting Global Buyers with Vietnam's Value-Added Seafood Supply Hub

 |  17:35 16/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.

Sustainable seafood solutions: ESG vision & net zero commitment at Vietfish 2026

 |  08:45 16/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.

Pangasius industry shifts from volume growth to value creation

 |  10:21 14/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.

Vietnamese tuna maintains momentum in Sweden, but the market Is becoming more unpredictable

 |  08:55 12/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.

China’s rising shrimp imports: Expanding opportunities amid intensifying competition

 |  08:56 10/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.

Lobster is on its way to becoming a billion-dollar commodity.

 |  08:18 08/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.

VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM

Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội

Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO

Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu

Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông

Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn

Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh

Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn

VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn

© Copyright 2020 - Mọi hình thức sao chép phải được sự chấp thuận bằng văn bản của VASEP

DANH MỤC