The majority of the exports were fresh and frozen tuna, but compared to the same period last year, exports of these categories fell by 9.6 percent, while exports of processed tuna products went up by nearly 12 percent.
The exports went to 87 markets, with the US being the largest buyer, followed by the EU, ASEAN, and Japan, the association said.
Tuna exports to the US were worth 111.6 million USD, a year-on-year increase of 0.5 percent.
Exports of fresh and frozen tuna accounted for more than 76.8 million USD of total exports to the US, up nearly 11 percent over the same period last year, while exports of processed tuna (code HS 16) decreased by over 16 percent.
Exports to ASEAN member countries increased by 24.9 percent from the same period last year, but exports to the EU and Japan were down by 8.2 percent and 10.6 percent.
In the case of Japan, while fresh and frozen tuna shipments were down by 26.5 percent, exports of processed tuna enjoyed good growth of 10 percent.
The association forecasts that tuna exports to the US, ASEAN countries and China will continue to increase.
Le Hang, Deputy Director of VASEP.PRO, said Vietnam’s tuna products, especially processed ones, were subject to high tariffs in many import markets.
An ongoing trial project for tuna fishing, buying, processing, and consumption is expected to help improve quality and competitiveness, she said.
Israeli market
As a developed country in the Middle East region, Israel is a potential market for Vietnamese tuna products, according to the Africa, Southwest Asia Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Tuna exports to the market in the first half of the year were worth 8.6 million USD , a year-on-year increase of over 4 percent.
According to VASEP, Israel is one of eight key export markets of Vietnamese tuna.
With a population with an obesity rate at over 20 percent, the Israel Ministry of Health has recommended that residents consume tuna as a supplement of healthy omega 3-fatty acid.
Currently, exports of frozen tuna fillet (HS0304 code) to the market accounted for approximately 60 percent, and processed tuna (HS16 code) about 30 percent, it said.
According to UN Comtrade statistics, Thailand is the largest tuna exporter to Israel, with an export value of 18.6 million USD last year.
Israel’s tuna imports from China decreased from over 40 million USD in 2013 to 13.9 million USD last year.
Last year, Vietnam earned 15.5 million USD from tuna exports to Israel. The department said there is still more room for Vietnam to boost tuna exports to the market.
Source: VNA
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the week from April 4th to 10th, 2026, Quang Ngai province intensified its monitoring and law enforcement activities with the determination to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanh Hoa’s shrimp sector is undergoing a strong transformation by accelerating the adoption of high technology, helping to improve productivity, increase profits, and meet market demands. The province currently has about 4,100 hectares of shrimp farming, with output continuing to rise despite stable farming area, mainly due to the shift from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive farming.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang City has fully implemented all recommendations from the European Commission (EC) regarding the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, creating an important foundation for the removal of the “yellow card” in the near future.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Hoa Vang district (Da Nang City), red tilapia farming is demonstrating clear economic efficiency, becoming a promising livelihood that helps many households increase their income. A notable example is the model of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Nam, who operates two red tilapia ponds covering more than 4 hectares, generating stable annual income.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
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