Export orders surged in Q3
Monthly tuna exports to Spain throughout the first 11 months of 2025 did not follow a steady upward trend, but instead spiked sharply at certain points - notably surging by 84% in September and an unprecedented 534% in November. In contrast, export values in several other months fell sharply.
This growth was underpinned by the robust performance of processed tuna product group under HS16, primarily driven by frozen steamed tuna loins, which rose by 16% compared with the same period last year. Conversely, exports of canned tuna to this market plummeted, recording a sharp 57% decline.
Intensifying competition in Spain’s frozen steamed tuna loin segment
Spain is one of the world’s largest seafood markets, characterized by a structural deficit: high domestic demand coupled with insufficient local production, making imports a cornerstone of the industry.
As a major processing hub, competition in Spain is particularly intense within the frozen steamed tuna loin/fillet segment, which supply both canning factories and private-label systems. Supply-chain analysis of Spain’s canned tuna industry relies heavily on non-EU sources for raw materials. Specifically, tuna loins imports are dominated by Ecuador, China and Papua New Guinea, while canned tuna imports are concentrated from Ecuador, Mauritius and El Salvador. Viet Nam currently holds only a modest market share, primarily due to a shortage of raw materials meeting "wholly obtained" origin requirements.
In the current context, this competition has been further amplified by the EU’s tariff preference mechanisms. The Council of the European Union has approved the ATQ for the 2024-2026 period, allowing the EU processing sector to import raw tuna loins from non-EU countries at reduced or 0% duty rates. Consequently, the “race” to integrate into Spain’s supply chain is no longer determined solely by price and quality, but increasingly by the ability to meet raw material specifications, delivery schedules and tariff optimization.
Import trends: tightening budgets drive shift toward convenience
Cost-of-living pressures in Spain are also reshaping consumption patterns. According to the USDA’s 2024 Spain Seafood Report, around one-third of Spanish households have scaled back their fish and meat consumption in response to inflation. Consumers are increasingly seeking more affordable protein sources, favoring canned and frozen and high-convenience products in smaller portion sizes.
This shift has sustained a stable demand for tuna segments destined for processing, packing and private-label retail, while intensifying competitive pressure on the mass-market segment.
2026 outlook
Based on the performance metrics of 2025, the outlook for Vietnamese tuna in Spain for early 2026 points toward a modest growth trajectory. Exports of frozen steamed tuna loins are likely to increase, aligning perfectly with Spain’s role as a processing hub and the EU-wide preference for high-convenience products.
Furthermore, new EU regulations imposing stricter standards on onboard freezing for purse seiners intended for human consumption are likely to constrain the import of certain high-value frozen tuna products, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape.
By contrast, Vietnamese canned tuna exported directly to Spain is unlikely to achieve a rapid breakthrough, given intense competition from competitors with superior tariff advantages such as Ecuador and the Philippines, as well as robust intra-EU supply chains.
For Vietnamese enterprises, the most promising strategic sweet spot in Spain for the coming year will undoubtedly reside in loin, fillet and semi-processed tuna products.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(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).
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