Vietnams tuna sales to China down

Vietnamese tuna exports to China are down in the first six months of 2017, according to data presented by Le Hang, deputy director of the Vietnamese Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors’ training and trade promotion center.

Overall tuna exports from Vietnam were expected to earn $524 million in 2017, Vasep estimated at the start of the year; a rise of 8% compared with the prior year.

In 2016, the country’s tuna sales to China came to $20.9m — in the first six months of 2017 they reached $12.2m, down 50% year-on-year.

However, Vasep data also showed total tuna export turnover rose 21% y-o-y to hit $271m in those six months. Shipments to Mexico rose 125%.

Exports are encountering difficulties in raw materials and import duties in some key markets, Vasep noted. A salesperson with exporter Mekong Seafood Connection told Undercurrent News the company could only offer tuna to certain customers this year, as catches had not been as good as in 2016.