Tuna exports recover strongly

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, in the first quarter of 2017, tuna exports of Vietnam reached $US 121 million, an increase of 23% compared to the same period in 2016. Tuna exports have continued to recover strongly thanks to the growth of exports in traditional markets such as the US and EU.

Processed tuna exports. Photo: Thu Hoa.

In the first 3 months of 2017, tuna production in the 3 key provinces reached about 5,846 tonnes. Currently, the price of ocean tuna exports was purchased from 93,000 vnd to 110,000 vnd per kg. In Phu Yen, the production of tuna was estimated at 1,500 tonnes, a decrease of 2.7% compared to the same period in 2016. In Binh Dinh province, the production of tuna reached 3,446 tonnes, an increase of 75% compared to the same period (1,970 tonnes). In Khanh Hoa province, the ocean tuna production was 900 tonnes, a decrease of 8% compared to the same period.

Tuna exports from Vietnam to other countries in the world increased compared to the same period in 2016. In particular, canned tuna exports increased by 39.7% compared to the same period last year.

Among Vietnam's tuna exports, frozen steak/fillet tuna exports remain the key exports of Vietnam, accounting for more than 47% of the total tuna export value of Vietnam in the first quarter 2017, equivalent to $US 57 million, an increase of 12.5%. Next was canned tuna exports, accounting for 30.4%, equivalent to $US 37 million, an increase of 53.2%.

Currently, tuna products of Vietnam have been exported to 79 countries in the world, more than the same period last year.

The 8 major tuna export markets of Vietnam include the United States, the EU, Israel, ASEAN, Japan, Canada, China and Mexico, accounting for 88% of total tuna export value in the first 3 months of 2017. In particular, the Israel market increased strongly at the growth of 172.9%. With a high growth rate of up to 3 digits, Israel overtook ASEAN and Japan to become the third largest import market of Vietnamese tuna.

In this quarter, Vietnam's tuna exports to key markets such as the US, the EU and Japan recovered. However, the tuna exports to the ASEAN decreased.

In the first quarter of 2017, the US was still the largest import market of Vietnamese tuna. However, after declining in the first month of the year, Vietnam's tuna exports to the US increased again in the last two months of the quarter. The total value of tuna exports in the first quarter 2017 reached more than $US 44.575 million, an increase of 22.5% compared to the same period last year.

EU continued to be the second largest tuna import market of Vietnamese tuna. The tuna exports to the EU in the first 3 months of 2017 increased by 14% compared to the same period last year, reaching $US 27.6 million.

In the first quarter of 2017, Vietnam mainly exported canned tuna and frozen fillet tuna to this market, accounting for 37% and 36.8% respectively. Vietnam's fresh, frozen and dried tuna exports continued to increase. And the EU has a tendency to increase Vietnam's canned tuna imports, decrease processed tuna, which was contrary to last year's trend. Specifically, exports of fresh, frozen and dried tuna in Vietnam increased by 16.4% and canned tuna increased by 67.5%. Other processed tuna products declined by 68%.

It is forecasted that in the next 3 months, Vietnam's tuna exports will increase by 20% to $US 151 million