With this result, in the first 6 months of 2024, Vietnam tuna exports to South Korea reached more than 14 million USD, an increase of 144% over the same period. South Korea became one of the largest 10 single tuna markets of Vietnam.
According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, in the first six months of this year, 15 Vietnam enterprises were participating in exporting tuna to this market. Leading ones are NHA TRANG BAY, YUEH CHYANG CANNED FOOD, and TRINITY VIETNAM, which account for 86% of total export turnover in the first half of 2024.
With a population of over 51 million people, South Korea is currently a potential market for Vietnamese tuna exporters, with a high growth trend since last year.
The Vietnam-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA) took effect in December 2015, creating a foundation to promote economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two countries to develop more strongly and effectively. The two countries are participating in the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), and South Korea is considering joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), of which Vietnam is a member.
Currently, South Korea mainly imports processed and canned tuna from Vietnam, accounting for 99% of total export turnover, of which, South Korea mainly imports frozen steamed skipjack tuna loin/meat.
The change in seafood consumption trends in Korea following the trend of reduced consumer spending is an opportunity for Vietnamese seafood to boost exports of seafood products at suitable prices.
Like Japan, exports to Korea have the advantage of a close geographical location, stable consumption demand, and are the destination of many businesses in the coming time in the context of inflation, which is causing a sharp decrease in consumption in Western markets.
While the Red Sea tension has caused shipping rates to the US and Europe to skyrocket, closer markets, such as Korea, are also of interest to many businesses.
Notably, while Korea has reduced tuna imports from other countries, it has increased imports from Vietnam.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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