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.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius export value reached US$1.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. In September alone, exports totaled US$210 million, an increase of 16%. China, the United States, and Brazil were the three largest markets, accounting for 49% of total export value. While China and Brazil maintained their growth momentum, exports to the US remained below the level recorded in the same period last year.
(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.
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