Tuna export turnover in Vietnam has risen 21 per cent year-on-year to hit US$271mn in the first half of 2017, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP)

According to VASEP, the tuna fillet earned most of the revenue, accounting for more than 48 per cent of total tuna exports. This was followed by canned tuna export, which was around 30 per cent, and other processed tuna of around 15 per cent.

Vietnam exports tuna to 97 countries. The US, the EU, Israel, ASEAN, Japan, Canada, China and Mexico are the major export markets for tuna, accounting for almost 88 per cent of total tuna export value in the first six months.

With the shipments of tuna having been raised to 125 per cent to Mexico, the country surpasses Canada and China to become Vietnam’s sixth largest tuna importer, said VASEP.

However, in spite of the growing export market, tuna exports are facing difficulties in terms of raw materials and import duties in some of the key markets. The VASEP has proposed to government to develop and promote purse seine fishing.

The association suggested that Vietnam should make an agreement with the EU to finalise a quota for tuna exports to the market. It further proposed to eliminate tariffs on tuna exports to Japan, as Thailand and the Philippines have already done, in order to improve the relevance of Vietnamese products in the international markets.

In February 2017, VASEP said that Vietnam is expecting to earn US$524mn from tuna export in 2017, a rise of eight per cent compared with 2016.

Source: Far Eastern Agriculture. Date: 2017-08-21

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