According to data from Vietnam Customs, the value of Vietnam's tuna exports to the UAE has steadily grown after a decline in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, tuna export value to the UAE increased from $1.6 million in 2019 to nearly $4 million in 2023, reflecting a 139% rise over five years. Currently, Vietnam is one of the UAE’s top three tuna suppliers. However, in 2024, tuna exports to the UAE have shown a fluctuating trend, with periods of both increases and decreases. As of the end of September 2024, tuna exports to the UAE were nearly on par with the same period in 2023.
The UAE mainly imports frozen tuna meat/loins from Vietnam under HS code 0304, as well as a smaller quantity of canned tuna products. Currently, imported tuna products face a 5% import tariff. Vietnamese exporters are optimistic that once the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the UAE comes into effect, seafood import tariffs will drop to 0%, increasing the competitiveness of Vietnamese tuna products in the UAE market.
Beyond tariffs, one of the biggest challenges for exporters to the UAE is meeting the strict Halal certification requirements. Products must not contain any ingredients prohibited by Islamic law, must not come into contact with any materials or equipment that are forbidden in Islamic law during production, and must not be mixed with any ingredients that are not Halal-compliant. Vietnamese companies are actively working to address these concerns to ensure full compliance.
Currently, the UAE is an economic leader in the Arab world, ranking 17th out of 61 economies for competitiveness globally. The country’s per capita seafood consumption is higher than the global average, while agriculture accounts for less than 1% of its GDP. As a result, about 90% of the UAE’s seafood consumption is met through imports. Furthermore, the UAE’s economy is considered one of the most stable in the world.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts that the UAE’s GDP will grow by 4% in 2024 and reach 5.1% in 2025. In contrast, the Middle East and Central Asia regions are projected to grow at only 2.4% and 3.9%, respectively, during these years. UAE stands out due to its strong non-oil economy and effective public policy.
Given these factors, the UAE is well-positioned to become a key trading partner for Vietnam’s tuna industry, offering significant growth potential in the coming years.
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(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.
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(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.
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(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.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
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