Photo: VASEP/FIS

Vietnam's Tuna Exports Recovering, But Challenges Persist

VIET NAM
Friday, November 21, 2025, 08:00 (GMT + 9)

Key Markets Show Positive Signals Despite Overall 4% Decline in First 10 Months of 2025

Hanoi, Vietnam – Vietnam's tuna exports are showing initial signs of recovery towards the end of 2025, with notable growth in markets like the European Union (EU), Mexico, and Chile. However, the overall performance for the year remains dampened by continued difficulties, according to data from Vietnam Customs and analysis by industry experts.

Overall Dip Despite Late-Year Recovery

According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, Vietnam's tuna exports in the first 10 months of 2025 reached $791 million USD, representing a slight decrease of 4% compared to the same period in 2024.

Photo: courtesy VASEP

"Vietnam's tuna exports in the first 10 months of 2025 reached $791 million USD, down slightly by 4% compared to the same period in 2024," reported Ms. Nguyen Ha, Tuna Market Expert at the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Positive Signals from Key Markets

The EU market continues to be a highlight, with exports reaching nearly $15 million USD in October, marking a substantial 16% increase. Within the EU, exports to the Netherlands and Italy saw "skyrocketing" triple-digit growth last month. Cumulatively, in the first 10 months of 2025, exports to the EU market increased by 4%, reaching nearly $175 million USD.

Within the CPTPP market, tuna exports to Mexico and Chile are also recovering, showing positive growth of 51% and 16% respectively in October. Despite this late surge, the cumulative export volume to Mexico and Chile in the first 10 months is still down 4% and 29% respectively, reflecting earlier struggles.

US Market Leads but Faces Decline

Despite facing various difficulties, including tight consumption trends and high inventories, the US market remains the largest destination for Vietnamese tuna. Even though exports to the US market continued to decline in October, the cumulative turnover for the first 10 months of 2025 was nearly $294 million USD, accounting for over 37% of total turnover. This figure is still 8% lower compared to the same period last year. The article notes that higher reciprocal taxes on Vietnamese products compared to competitors like Thailand, Indonesia, and Ecuador are reducing competitiveness in the US market.

Photo: Stockfile/FIS

Volatile and Emerging Markets

Other markets experienced volatility. Exports to Canada and Japan fell in October by 4% and 33%, respectively, after a period of recovery. Geopolitical conflicts and exchange rate fluctuations heavily impacted exports to Israel and Russia. However, October saw positive signs, with exports to Russia increasing by 23%, and the rate of decline to Israel slowing down.

In contrast, the emerging market of Egypt saw a sharp increase of 128% in October, reaching more than nearly $21 million USD. Egypt has continuously been in the top 8 markets importing the most tuna from Vietnam over the past 2 months, demonstrating the market diversification efforts of Vietnamese enterprises.

Processed Tuna Down, Frozen Stable

In terms of product structure, the HS 03 tuna group (fresh, frozen, dried) saw a slight decrease of nearly 1%. Within this group, frozen tuna meat/loin (HS0304) increased by nearly 2%. Conversely, the processed tuna group (HS16) decreased by 7%, mainly due to weak demand in the US and the Middle East.

Photo: courtesy VASEP

Year-End Outlook and Persistent Challenges

The global market is seeing competitive pressure, with raw tuna prices in Thailand showing a slight decrease since September 2025. Competitors like Thailand, Ecuador, and Indonesia benefit from better reciprocal tax rates when exporting to the US and more preferential treatment when exporting to the EU.

The Vietnamese tuna industry continues to grapple with several domestic challenges: unstable domestic raw material supply heavily reliant on imports; high logistics costs; and the burden of IUU control (illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing). Furthermore, increasingly strict requirements for traceability and sustainability certification from high-end markets like the EU, US, and Japan pose significant hurdles. Due to these factors, it is forecasted that tuna exports will hardly recover in the last quarter of the year.

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