After the first 9 months of 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports brought in 705 million USD, a decrease of 3% compared to the same period in 2024. Despite a slight decrease in turnover, the market and product structure show many positive signs of shifting toward higher value and expanding.
The US remained the leading market, accounting for 37% of total turnover, reaching 261 million USD. However, this is a 5% decrease compared to the same period last year. In September alone, the value decreased by 17% compared to the same period in 2024. The US importers increased their imports of tuna in the early months of the year to avoid new tariffs, leading to increased inventories.
Conversely, the EU maintained its upward momentum, with 160 million USD, a 3% increase. Some members recorded strong increases, such as Italy (up 19%) and the Netherlands (up 37%), while Germany saw a decrease of 24%. This signal shows that Vietnamese businesses are gradually trying to adapt to the sustainability standards and origin certifications required by the EU market.
Vietnamese tuna is among the top five in the world in terms of export value.
Exports to the CPTPP region reached 96 million USD, up 9%, with Japan increasing by 15% and Canada by 17%. This is reflecting the positive impact of tariff preferences within the bloc. However, some other markets, like Mexico and Chile, are experiencing a slight decline.
Notably, Thailand, a major seafood processing hub in the region, is increasing its imports of Vietnamese tuna by 83%, reaching 28 million USD. Vietnam’s role is growing in the supply chain for frozen steamed tuna loins, a key ingredient for canned tuna production in the region. Meanwhile, Egypt saw a significant increase of up to 146%, opening up opportunities in emerging markets in the Middle East and Africa.
By product structure, exports of fresh and frozen tuna reached 383 million USD, accounting for 54% of the total value, which is nearly equivalent to the same period last year. Tuna under HS code 0304, the key product, increased slightly by 2%.
The processed and canned tuna group reached 322 million USD, a decrease of 6%. Notably, canned tuna, accounting for nearly two-thirds of HS16, decreased by 9%. Low domestic raw material supply requires increasing imports. The price of raw tuna and logistics costs rose, but the selling price did not increase accordingly.
This growth trend in the export product structure reflects a change in the product structure: businesses are focusing more on high-value-added products such as loin or tuna steak.
In 2025, the demand for tuna in the US and Europe tends to go up gradually, but competition in these markets is also increasing. Importers prioritize supplies certified by MSC and IUU and with full traceability. Japan increased imports of frozen tuna for sashimi and high-end products, opening up opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to invest in upgrading their processing lines.
With the slight decline in the third quarter, it is likely that tuna exports for the entire year of 2025 will reach about 930–950 million USD, a slight decrease compared to 2024.