Customs statistics showed tuna export value leaped 108 percent year-on-year in January to 88 million USD. The rate slowed down in February but still at a high 57 percent and a value of 67 million USD, almost double the figure in February 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic had not started.

The growth in March remained stable, pushing the export earnings for the first quarter to over 230 million USD, up 53 percent on a yearly basis. 

leftcenterrightdel
Tuna export maintains high growth in Q1. (Photo for illustration)

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producer (VASEP) the good growth of tuna export to the industry’s success in utilizing tax advantages in European and Asia-Pacific markets created by free trade agreements to which Vietnam is a member, such as the Vietnam-E.U. FTA (EVFTA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

This can be seen in the strong increases in exports to E.U. and CPTPP markets, such as Belgium (163 percent), the Netherlands (114 percent), Chile (99 percent) and Canada (52 percent). The Netherlands has risen from the fourth place to the top position among European importers of Vietnamese tuna.

The growing trend is expected to continue for tuna export to Europe thanks to strong economic recovery that stimulates demand. Besides, tax preferential treatments under the EVFTA also create an impetus for the export. 

Besides foreign markets, tuna producers are also looking to tap into the domestic market, where demand for tuna products is rising. Domestic sales will help the tuna sector reduce its dependence on foreign markets, thus better adapting to socio-economic fluctuations.

Source: VNA