According to statistics from General Department of Customs, tuna exports in April 2024 grew high in most main markets. Tuna export value this month reached nearly 87 million USD, an increase of 29%. Cumulatively, in the first 4 months of 2024, export turnover reached nearly 302 million USD, an increase of 22%.
Notably, Vietnam's processed and canned tuna exports tend to increase. In the first 4 months of the year alone, export turnover of this product group reached 154 million USD in 2024, an increase of 70% compared to 2020.
On contrary, export of fresh and frozen tuna, which is mainly frozen tuna meat/loin with HS0304 code, is unstable. After peaking in 2022, exports of this product group decreased sharply. Entering 2024, product group exports have increased again but increase is not high - up 6% over the same period.
Regarding markets, in April 2024, Vietnamese tuna products were exported to more than 90 markets. In particular, tuna exports to main markets such as the US, EU, Israel, Canada, Japan or Mexico... all increased faster.
In the US and EU markets, Russia and South Korea, export growth rate in April 2024 compared to the same period doubled compared to the previous month, reaching 37%, 71%, 32% and 32% respectively. Notably, in EU market, export to three leading markets, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, all grew "gallopingly" at 3 digits. However, according to enterprises, this growth is due to a decrease in inventory in the markets but actually market demand is still better.
On other hand, according to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, currently, tuna industry is still constrained by a lack of raw materials because catch is not enough to meet demand, so supply must be increased from import. Meanwhile, EU market regulations and Vietnam's new regulations on not mixing aquatic raw materials originating from imported exploitation with aquatic raw materials originating from domestic exploitation enter the country, the same export shipment in Decree 37/2024/ND-CP and regulations on administrative sanctions for this behavior in Decree 38/2024/ND-CP are making this bottleneck more congested.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn