According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the decline was uneven. While exports to the United States, Vietnam’s largest tuna market, fell sharply, shipments to the European Union and markets under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) posted positive growth.

Tuna exports to the United States faced growing pressure during the year, particularly in the processed segment, amid intensifying competition and increasingly stringent market requirements. Some product categories remained broadly in line with the previous year, but declines in key segments weighed on overall export value.

In contrast, the EU market showed positive signs. In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the bloc reached nearly US$207 million, up 5% year on year. The Netherlands remained the largest importing market, with import value exceeding US$46 million, while other major markets, including Italy and Germany, also posted steady growth.

Beyond the EU, tuna exports to Canada and Japan rose compared with 2024, despite fluctuations at certain points during the year. By contrast, exports to the Middle East declined markedly, pulling down overall shipments to the region.

VASEP noted that in 2026, the tuna market is expected to continue facing pressure from fluctuations in supply and raw material prices, particularly rising prices for certain tuna species, which are narrowing profit margins for processed and canned products. Competition in international markets is also forecast to become increasingly differentiated based on compliance capacity and pricing.

With trade barriers in the US showing no signs of easing, tuna exports to that market are expected to stay subdued in 2026. The EU is likely to continue as an important market, while Vietnamese tuna exporters are increasingly shifting toward destinations such as ASEAN and the Middle East, which better match current supply capacity and market conditions.

Export decline clouds outlook for Vietnamese tuna in second half

VOV.VN -Vietnam’s tuna exports dropped 21% year-on-year in June to just over US$67 million, casting a shadow over the industry’s prospects for the remainder of 2025, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).