Several factors are increasing demand in the region such as the end of the conflict in Libya (a major tuna consumer market), the more health-conscious consumers in Saudi Arabia, and an increase in demand of the Egyptian people for an “affordable source of protein”.
Last year, like other markets when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in the first months of the year, panic buying of tuna products to stockpile in the Middle East occurred. However, after that, sales in this market stabilized again. Therefore, Vietnam's processed tuna exports to the Middle East in the first five months of 2021 are only equivalent to the same period in 2020, reaching $17.2 million. In contrast, the export of fresh and frozen tuna to this market increased sharply by 78%, reaching more than US$9.5 million.
Currently, Vietnam's tuna products have been exported to 12 countries in this market block. In which, Israel, Egypt and Libya are the three largest importers of Vietnamese tuna in this market. Compared to the same period in 2020, the countries with export growth are Israel (up 37%), Libya (up 16%), UAE (up 61%) and Bahrain (up 69%).
Israel, with the value of tuna imports from Vietnam in the first 5 months of 2021 reaching more than 15 million USD, is currently the third largest single tuna export market of Vietnam. After a continuous decline in the first 2 months of the year, Vietnam's tuna exports have increased again and the growth rate is increasing.
Meanwhile, Vietnam's tuna exports to Egypt decreased by 3%. The recovery of the Egyptian economy, with the local currency strengthening against the dollar, has also helped boost demand for tuna in the country. This has helped Vietnamese tuna exports to this market increase positively in the first 2 months of the year. However, since March, Vietnam's tuna exports to this market have decreased continuously. One of the reasons for this decline is that Egyptian importers used the excuse of difficulties and losses due to the epidemic situation to demand payment for goods in installments, putting pressure on prices to reduce... businesses are afraid to export to this market.
In Libya, the stability of the political situation and the Libyan economy has helped increase the demand for tuna. And this has impacted on Vietnam's tuna exports to this market. Although Vietnam's tuna exports to this market are still not stable, in the past 2 months, the export value has been increasing continuously.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On July 9, 2026, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil organized the seminar titled “Sharing Information on Vietnam-Brazil Economic, Trade and Investment Relations in the First Half of 2026” to provide updates on bilateral cooperation and strengthen connections among government agencies, industry associations, and business communities of the two countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports in the first 6 months of the year continued to be a bright spot with a total turnover of 5.7 billion USD, an increase of 11.4% compared to the same period last year. By commodity group, seafood is one of the three groups with a trade balance in the first 6 months of 2026 in a surplus state with 4.13 billion USD, an increase of 17%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) For many years, Vietnam’s seafood industry has been recognized as one of the country’s key export pillars. Products such as shrimp, pangasius, tuna, squid, octopus, and a wide range of other seafood have reached hundreds of markets worldwide. Yet behind these impressive export figures lies a significant challenge: a substantial share of Vietnam’s seafood export value still comes from minimally processed products, contract manufacturing, and raw material exports—segments characterized by low profit margins and high vulnerability to fluctuations in global prices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the context of a global economy shifting powerfully toward green and sustainable values, Vietfish 2026 is far more than just a commercial trade fair. It has become a strategic rendezvous and a "comprehensive ecosystem"—a convergence of value, knowledge, and sustainable growth opportunities for the entire industry chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Colombia continued their strong upward momentum in May 2026. Export value to the market reached USD 4 million, up 24% compared to the same month in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 24 million, an impressive 48% increase year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Hai Phong's aquaculture sector is accelerating the adoption of high technologies in aquaculture to adapt to climate change, with red tilapia and tilapia identified as the key cultured species for priority development.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached nearly US$1.1 billion in June 2026, up 21.0% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first half of 2026 totaled nearly US$5.8 billion, representing a 12.8% increase compared with the same period last year. Exports to China and Hong Kong continued to accelerate, while shipments to the United States rebounded strongly in June. In contrast, exports to the EU, Japan, and the Middle East remained sluggish or recorded slight declines.
(vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is playing an increasingly important role in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, driven not only by growing market opportunities but also by its ability to meet increasingly stringent requirements on quality, food safety, and traceability. In practice, tilapia farming in Vietnam is not a spontaneous or loosely regulated activity; rather, it operates under a comprehensive legal and technical framework covering the entire value chain—from hatcheries and farming to processing and exports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.9 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 12% compared with the same period last year. Amid continued volatility in the global seafood market, this result demonstrates that the shrimp sector has maintained positive growth momentum, supported by improving demand in several Asian markets, particularly China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On June 16, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province announced that the locality has established a farming area code for nearly 30,400 hectares of mud crab aquaculture and granted export facility codes to five enterprises eligible to export mud crab officially to markets such as China, Cambodia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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