Tuna processing and exporting enterprises are facing many difficulties because of uncertainties of the market, rising raw price and production costs.
Skipjack tuna prices hit a peak
Continuously from the beginning of the year, tuna catches remained low, causing a decrease in the supply of raw materials. This has pushed skipjack prices to peaks.
The price of frozen whole skipjack tuna with size >1.8kg in Bangkok, after a slight decrease from $1,750/ton to $1,700/ton, stabilized in February. However, lower catches has led to a decrease in the amount of skipjack tuna arriving at Bangkok ports, causing prices to increase significantly.
The price of frozen whole skipjack tuna with size >1.8kg in Bangkok rose to $2,050/ton in May, an increase of nearly 21% in just 3 months, and an increase of 8% over the same period. This is the highest price in the past 5 years.
Low demand in key markets
Tuna exports to traditional markets all decreased in April. Besides, some new markets still increased strongly such as Israel up 49%, Thailand up 486% and Russia up 486%.
Tuna exports to traditional markets all decreased in April
Export to the US market continues to fall deeply. The US economic situation is getting worse and worse, and consumers are becoming more cautious. Americans are gradually cutting back on spending on low-value items, they buy less non-essential groceries, buy in bulk... According to CNN, major US chain stores including Nordstrom, Walmart , Whole Foods, Starbucks and CVS have recently closed in several major US cities, raising alarm bells about the future of retail in the country. This situation has caused Vietnam's tuna exports to the US to continue to decrease by 60% in April 2023. And cumulatively in the first 4 months of the year, tuna exports to this market decreased by 55%, reaching nearly $90 million. The proportion of tuna export turnover to the US from 55% in the first 4 months of 2022 has decreased to 36% in the same period this year.
Tuna exports to the EU, after a slight increase of 5% in March, reversed in April. Export value to this market in April was only nearly 11 million USD, down 28% over the same period. In the first 4 months of 2023, the export turnover to this market decreased by 9%, reaching more than 48 million USD.
In April, Vietnam tuna exports to Lithuania showed significant growth, surpassing Italy and becoming the EU's third largest import market of Vietnamese tuna after Germany and the Netherlands. Exports to Germany also experienced an increase of 25% during the same period. In the CPTPP market bloc, after continuously increasing imports of Vietnamese tuna in the first 3 months of 2023, exports to Japan experienced a 25% decline in April. Exports to Mexico and Chile saw significant increases of 117% and 78% respectively compared to the previous year.
The challenging export market has made it difficult for businesses to secure orders and acquire capital for raw materials, affecting the reserve of fishermen. To support fishermen and maintain production, companies have increased processed tuna production and explored new markets. However, export orders have sharply decreased, resulting in increased inventories. Additionally, rising input costs have led most businesses to operate cautiously and seek state support.
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Fishermen in Ha Tinh are gradually overcoming difficulties to maintain the efficiency of seafood exploitation. In the first six months of 2026, the entire province achieved a production of more than 23,000 tons of seafood, worth more than 1,200 billion VND.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) June 2026 brought encouraging signs for Vietnam's tuna exports, with export value rising 20% year-on-year to nearly USD 72 million. However, this increase has yet to offset the prolonged slowdown seen in key markets such as the European Union (EU), where import demand remains weak. The outlook for the second half of the year is expected to become more challenging as freight rates continue to climb.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in collaboration with the Agency for Domestic Market Management and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will organize the Domestic Seafood Supply–Demand Matching Program on the morning of August 20, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City. The program aims to foster direct business connections between Vietnamese seafood producers and processors and domestic distributors, retailers, and foodservice channels.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Cooking Show will be one of the most engaging experiential highlights of Vietfish 2026. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, 2026, at Hall B1, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, the event will offer visitors a vibrant culinary space where Vietnamese seafood is showcased through its flavors, stories, and real-life culinary applications.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius exports reached USD 205 million in June 2026, up 5% compared with the same month in 2025. Cumulative export value for the first six months of the year totaled USD 1.1 billion, an increase of 12% year-on-year. Growth was primarily driven by strong demand from China and CPTPP markets, while exports to the United States and Brazil continued to decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
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
