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) 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).
(vasep.com.vn) Australia is emerging as one of the most stable and promising growth markets for Vietnamese shrimp. Amid global trade disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly conflicts in the Middle East—strengthening and expanding into stable markets like Australia has become increasingly important for Vietnam’s shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports reached over USD 111 million, up 23% compared to the same period in 2025. This result indicates a positive start for the sector, reflecting early signs of demand recovery in multiple markets from the beginning of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s fisheries sector maintained positive growth momentum, with shrimp output exceeding 132 thousand tons. This result contributed to a strong increase in seafood export turnover, despite ongoing volatility in the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in February 2026, with many markets recording sharp increases compared to the same period last year. In February alone, export value reached USD 8.4 million, up 148% year-on-year. Cumulatively, in the first two months of 2026, total tilapia export turnover hit USD 23 million, soaring 242% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In global seafood trade, sensory evaluation is increasingly becoming one of the key “technical barriers” in many importing markets-especially the United States. Issues such as filth, and signs of decomposition/spoilage are often detected through sensory evaluation methods and remain common reasons for seafood import alerts, detentions, or shipment rejections.
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