By the end of September 2020, Vietnam's exports of fresh, frozen, and dried tuna to this market continued to decline, down nearly 39% over the same period in 2019. Meanwhile, processed and canned exports elevated by nearly 29%. This growth helps the total export value of processed and canned tuna from Vietnam to the US to jump from 36.8% to 55%.
By the end of September 2020, the group of frozen fillets/meat tuna, code HS0304, remained the main export products of Vietnam to the US market. Having said that, the export value of this item has been decreasing compared to the same period in 2019. Currently, the proportion of the item has decreased to 44% of the total value of Vietnam's tuna exports to the US market in the first 9 months of 2020.
In contrast, Vietnam's canned tuna exports to the US market are on the rise. Canned tuna products of Vietnam exports to the US market are mainly canned skipjack tuna meat of all kinds. Compared to the previous quarter, the proportion of canned tuna exports of Vietnam has been increasing, and now this product group accounts for nearly 36% of the total export value of tuna to this market. Along with canned tuna, other Vietnamese processed tuna products exports to the US market has also been increasing.
The average export price of frozen fillets/meat tuna code HS03048700 from Vietnam to the US in the first 9 months of 2020 fluctuated at US$9.3/kg. Meanwhile, the average export price of frozen steamed fillets/ meat tuna code HS16041490 fluctuated at US$7.1/kg.
Currently, since US businesses are gathering up material that was soon depleted during the COVID-19 pandemic, US food and raw materials imports also surged sharply. Along with this trend, imports of processed tuna, such as frozen steamed tuna meat - raw materials for canned tuna production, and canned tuna into the US are also increasing year on year.
According to ITC's statistics, US imports of processed and canned tuna tended to grow steadily each month in the first 8 months of 2020. In particular, processed and canned tuna, the US imported more than 170 thousand MT in the first 8 months of 2020, worth nearly 835 million USD, up 25% in volume and 13% in value over the same period in 2019. This was the highest import volume in the past 5 years.
Thailand, the largest canned tuna supplier to the US market, jumped exports to the US market in the first 8 months of 2020, up 31% year-on-year. Along with Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia are also increasing exports of canned tuna to this market, with growth rates of 9% and 20% respectively.
Although there is still growth in canned tuna exports to this market, Vietnamese tuna products are difficult to compete with similar products from Indonesia and Mexico, due to higher prices. While the prices of canned tuna products from Indonesia and Mexico tended to decrease, the prices of Vietnamese products tended to lift.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) More than five years after the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) took effect, Vietnamese seafood is steadily expanding its market share in the United Kingdom, one of Europe’s major seafood import markets with stable and diverse consumer demand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At Van Hung Commune, Khanh Hoa Province, the Khanh Hoa Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with the Northern Aquaculture Research Center and the Van Hung Public Service Center, organized a technical training course on the industrial-scale production of disease-free golden pompano (Trachinotus falcatus) seed for local marine fish farmers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports maintained a strong recovery in the first five months of 2026, reaching more than USD 302 million, up 17% compared to the same period in 2025. Growth was primarily driven by Asian markets, including South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and China, while exports to the United States and the European Union continued to face headwinds from cautious consumer demand and increasingly stringent compliance requirements.
Vietnamese seafood giant Minh Phu Group has inaugurated a VND1.5 trillion (US$57.4 million) seafood processing plant in Ca Mau Province.
(vasep.com.vn) From 19–21 August 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the theme "Innovation – Sustainability", Vietfish 2026 continues to serve as Vietnam's flagship annual seafood event, bringing together seafood producers, exporters, importers, buyers, industry experts, government agencies, and stakeholders from across the domestic and global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in May 2026, reaching USD 14 million, up 18% compared with the same month last year. Cumulative export value for the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 62 million, representing a remarkable 101% increase over the same period in 2025, highlighting the sector’s strong recovery in international markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 367 million in the first five months of 2026, down 7% compared to the same period in 2025. While the decline is not yet severe, the more concerning issue is that pressure is mounting in key markets such as the United States and the European Union, just as ocean freight rates are rising sharply on long-haul routes. The current situation is therefore not merely about slower orders, but rather a clear restructuring phase for Vietnam’s tuna industry.
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