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Positive growth in Vietnam’s aquatic product exports during the first quarter of this year has injected optimism into the seafood industry, particularly for processed tuna products.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) reported a remarkable 53% year-on-year surge in canned tuna exports, amounting to over 196 million USD, marking a 21% increase.

Nguyen Ha, VASEP’s tuna market expert, highlighted the proactive expansion of Vietnamese tuna exporters into new markets from the outset of the year. In the first quarter alone, tuna products reached over 80 markets, compared to 70 markets during the same period last year.

While tuna exports to the US and the EU experienced a slight decline, other markets exhibited significant growth. Notably, exports to Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) nations continued to rise, with shipments to Canada and Chile soaring by 146% and 116%, respectively.

Data from the International Trade Centre (ITC) revealed Vietnam as the third-largest tuna supplier to Canada in 2023, trailing behind Thailand and Italy.

Although Canada witnessed a decrease in tuna imports from major suppliers due to shifting consumer preferences towards cheaper protein sources, there is optimism for recovery in Vietnam’s exports to Canada. VASEP anticipates an uptick in aquatic product consumption demand in Canada over the next five years.

In Europe, Portugal emerged as the sixth-largest importer of Vietnamese tuna among EU nations, with first-quarter import turnover exceeding 220,000 USD, doubling compared to the same period last year. While modest, this surge signals promising prospects for Vietnamese tuna exports to the Portuguese market.