Flexible shifts made to sustain growth momentum in tuna export

Vietnam’s tuna export sector maintained stable turnover in the first two months of 2026 despite fluctuations in the global market, with the strong growth in potential markets, which helped offset declines in some traditional ones.

According to data from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, total tuna export value in the period reached 129 million USD, equivalent to the same period last year. Although overall growth stood at 0%, the export landscape has undergone significant structural shifts in market distribution.

The US remained Vietnam’s largest tuna import market. However, export turnover to this market declined by 15% during the period, reportedly due to technical barriers and changes in domestic consumption policies.

In contrast to the downturn in the US market, Vietnamese enterprises have swiftly capitalised on opportunities in other markets. Emerging bright spots such as Russia, Japan, Germany, and Israel recorded strong growth.

Market diversification has enabled the tuna industry to maintain balance and avoid overdependence on a single region.

These results demonstrate the agility of businesses in adapting to free trade agreements (FTAs) and their efforts to improve product quality to meet stringent standards from Europe, notably Germany, and demanding markets such as Japan.

To achieve growth targets in the coming quarters, experts suggest the sector continue closely monitoring market developments, further exploit niche markets, and focus on deep processing to increase the added value of exported tuna products./.