2025 Overview: Strong demand, disrupted imports
According to industry reports, the Middle Eastern market for processed and canned tuna reached around 328,000 tons in 2024, valued at USD 1.3 billion. The region remains a net importer, with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Israel leading in import value.
However, 2025 has seen major disruptions: tuna imports in most key Middle Eastern markets have dropped sharply.
Data from Vietnam Customs show that Vietnam’s tuna exports to this region fell 23% year-on-year in the first eight months of 2025, totaling nearly USD 60 million. Exports to Israel declined by 48%, Lebanon by 9%, Jordan by 37%, and Saudi Arabia by 63%. These declines were largely due to regional conflicts and higher shipping costs, as maritime routes through the Red Sea became increasingly unstable.
Despite the downturn, there were some bright spots: exports to Egypt surged 141%, and to the UAE rose 16%, providing some balance to the regional picture.
Drivers and challenges: logistics and compliance pressures
One positive aspect for the Middle Eastern tuna market is the continued demand for packaged and canned products, which is expected to grow steadily. Reports suggest that the Middle East & Africa tuna market could achieve higher revenues by 2030.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries already represent a tuna market worth USD 862.6 million in 2024. However, future growth is expected to slow as the region transitions from a purely import-dependent model toward developing domestic processing facilities to strengthen local supply chains.
Rising logistics and energy costs, particularly for refrigerated containers, insurance for shipments through the Red Sea, and cold storage operations, remain major pressures. Exporters are therefore compelled to invest more heavily in cold chain infrastructure, transshipment hubs, and traceability systems.
Moreover, growing Halal certification requirements, combined with sustainability and ethical sourcing demands, have increased operational costs and called for stricter quality management systems.
Outlook for 2025 and beyond: modest growth ahead
In 2025, demand for processed tuna, especially canned and pouch products, is expected to continue rising in the Middle East. Vietnam has the opportunity to expand its market share by strengthening exports to Egypt and Saudi Arabia—two strategic markets—while maintaining stable positions in the UAE and Israel.
Globally, tuna imports are projected to reach 1.75–1.8 million tons in 2025, with an estimated value exceeding USD 9 billion. Within the Middle East, forecasts for 2025–2030 indicate modest but steady growth, with the processed tuna market in the Middle East and Africa expected to expand gradually.
By 2035, the regional processed tuna market is forecast to reach around 366,000 tons, worth approximately USD 1.6 billion. Most growth will likely come from Gulf countries, where improvements in infrastructure, strategic import management, and domestic processing capacity are priorities.
Major risks for tuna exporters to this region include continued instability in the Red Sea corridor—which raises transport costs and delivery times—as well as potential trade disruptions if conflicts spread further.
The year 2025 stands out as a testing period for the Middle Eastern tuna market: demand remains strong, but import disruptions and high costs are squeezing profit margins. In the longer term, growth is expected to continue, albeit at a slow and steady pace. Given the decisive role of logistics infrastructure, cold chain management, and compliance with Halal, traceability, and sustainability standards, Vietnamese exporters with flexible strategies and strong risk management will have a competitive edge in navigating this challenging yet opportunity-rich market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Currently, Da Nang City has no fishing vessels detained, sanctioned by foreign authorities, or criminally prosecuted for IUU fishing violations. Patrols, monitoring of marine fishing activities, and handling of violations have been prioritized by competent forces, significantly reducing nearshore fishing infringements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel in the first nine months of 2025 reached just over USD 27 million, down as much as 49% compared to the same period in 2024. This is a steep and prolonged decline for many consecutive months, reflecting changes in import demand as well as shifts in the supply structure of this market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first 700 tons of Vietnamese tilapia ordered and imported by JBS Group will initially be distributed through supermarket chains, the Horeca network and JBS’s product showrooms in Brazil.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In October 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius exports hit $217 million, representing an 8% increase compared to the same month in 2024. For the first 10 months of the year, total export value has surpassed $1.8 billion, up 9% year-on-year. This growth demonstrates clear positive momentum for the pangasius industry, despite continued declines in certain markets.
In recent days, the Central provinces of Vietnam have been suffering from historic flooding, with prolonged heavy rains, landslides, flash floods, and deep inundation causing extremely serious impacts on tens of thousands of households, as well as many VASEP member exporters located in the region. With the spirit of mutual support and solidarity, and in order to promptly assist residents and member exporters in the affected areas to stabilize their lives and restore production activities, VASEP calls on all seafood exporters, organizations, and individuals to extend supports to the people and member exporters in the flood-hit areas. We urge timely and practical material and spiritual contributions to help member exporters and local communities in the severely affected provinces overcome this difficult period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the final days of October 2025, Vietnam’s domestic raw shrimp market remained generally stable, though slight adjustments were recorded in several sizes across key farming regions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 498 million in October 2025, up 26% from the same period last year. This is one of the highest monthly revenues since the beginning of the year, reflecting solid demand in major markets and faster shipment schedules by exporters. From January to October, shrimp export value reached USD 3.9 billion, up 22% compared to the same period in 2024.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 31, 2025, the US Court of International Trade (CIT) officially issued an order to suspend the case filed by the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), the National Restaurant Association (NRA), and several US seafood companies against the US Government concerning the implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) An Giang’s fisheries sector has maintained stable growth momentum during the first nine months of 2025, making an important contribution to the province’s socio-economic development. Despite facing numerous challenges, the province is implementing various measures to enhance production efficiency, expand markets, and promote sustainable fisheries development toward deeper integration into the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius export value in September 2025 reached USD 181 million, up 5% compared to the same period in 2024. The overall trend for the pangasius industry remains positive, with total exports in the first nine months of 2025 reaching nearly USD 1.6 billion, an increase of 9% year-on-year.
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