HANOI: In the first nine months of 2016, Vietnam tuna exports totaled $354.6 million, an increase of 3.8% over the same period last year. Of that, exports of fresh/live/frozen tuna accounted for 57.8% of total export value, according to a statement from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (Vasep).
Although the US is the biggest market for Vietnam, accounting for 40.8% of exports, China and Thailand are the fastest growing. Exports to Thailand picked up almost 7% of total tuna exports, up 24.3% over the same period last year. Thailand was both a tuna importer and a supplier of Vietnam.
In the first half of 2016, total tuna imports into Israel hit over $37m, of which, imports from Thailand reached $10.8m, the Philippines was over $8m, and Vietnam touched $7m. Israel is a potential market, said Vasep, with Vietnam tuna exporters continuing to boost exports of processed tuna to the market. Through September 2016, Vietnam tuna exports to China gained $15m, up 56.3% over the same period last year. Exports to Canada and Mexico also expected to go up in the last quarter of the year, said Vasep.
