Vietnam’s ‘Superfood’ Sensation Captivates Russia: 0% Import Tax & Over 75 Markets Hooked

According to Vietnam Customs statistics, Vietnam’s tuna exports in the first 10 months of 2025 reached USD 791 million, a slight 4% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. The EU market remains a bright spot, achieving nearly USD 15 million, a 16% increase in October. Notably, exports to the Netherlands and Italy experienced triple-digit growth last month. As a result, cumulative exports to this market in the first 10 months of 2025 increased by 4%, reaching nearly USD 175 million.

In the CPTPP market bloc, tuna exports to Mexico and Chile are recovering, with impressive growth rates of 51% and 16% in October, respectively. However, this growth is insufficient to offset the declines in these markets during previous months, resulting in a 4% decrease for Mexico and a 29% drop for Chile in the first 10 months of the year.

Facing numerous challenges, tuna exports to the U.S. continued to decline in October. Despite an 8% year-on-year decrease, the U.S. remains Vietnam’s largest tuna market, accounting for over 37% of total exports, equivalent to nearly USD 294 million. Tightened consumer spending and high inventory levels have made U.S. importers cautious in placing orders. Additionally, Vietnamese products face higher countervailing duties compared to competitors like Thailand, Indonesia, and Ecuador, further reducing competitiveness in this market. Exports to Canada and Japan, after a period of recovery, decreased by 4% and 33%, respectively, in October.

Notably, tuna exports to Russia surged by 23% in October. Vietnam benefits from duty-free access to the Russian market under the Vietnam-EAEU Free Trade Agreement signed in 2015.

Emerging markets, such as Egypt, saw a remarkable 128% increase, reaching nearly USD 21 million. Exports to Egypt have consistently grown since the beginning of the year, with a significant surge towards year-end. As a result, Egypt has entered the top 8 largest tuna import markets for Vietnam in the past two months, reflecting Vietnamese businesses’ efforts to diversify their market presence.

In terms of product structure, the HS 03 group (fresh, frozen, and dried tuna) experienced a slight 1% decline. Within this group, frozen tuna loin (HS0304) increased by nearly 2%. Conversely, processed tuna (HS16) decreased by 7%, primarily due to weak demand in the U.S. and Middle East.

Globally, raw tuna prices in Thailand—a major processing hub in the region—showed a slight decline from September 2025, encouraging importers to sign new contracts for Q4 2025. However, competitive pressure from Thailand, Ecuador, and Indonesia remains high, as these countries enjoy more favorable countervailing duties when exporting to the U.S. and better incentives for EU exports.

Meanwhile, Vietnam’s tuna industry faces significant challenges, including unstable domestic raw material supply, heavy reliance on imports, high logistics costs, and stringent IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing) control measures. Increasingly strict traceability and sustainability certification requirements from premium markets like the EU, U.S., and Japan further burden businesses. Consequently, tuna exports in the final quarter of the year are unlikely to recover.