Tuna is one of Vietnam’s key exports, after shrimp and tra fish, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP).
The tuna export value and volume has risen significantly since early this year and will continue to grow in the future thanks to increasing demand in the US, the EU, Israel and Canada.
The average export price has risen slightly this year to US$5.26 per kilo. It has increased from US$5.7 to US$6.75 per kilogram in the US, from US$7.48 to US$7.76 in Japan and from US$2.9 to US$4.94 in Israel.
The US is a stable market for Vietnamese tuna with an export value of more than US$50 million in the first three months of this year. Vietnamese tuna exports to the EU, Canada and Israel rose steadily 15.6-54.5 percent and increased sharply by 157 percent and 132 percent in Spain and Lebanon, respectively.
The Vietnam Fisheries Association is establishing a group to supervise and protect the ocean tuna fishing and will also propose a cooperative model for fishermen and companies, and for ship owners and businesses in order to protect their benefits.
The Phu Yen People’s Committee has signed a framework agreement with Japanese investors on purchasing, processing, preserving and exporting tuna.
In the initial period, Japanese businesses will send two freezer ships with a capacity between 100-200 tons each to preserve tuna at sea. They will also help train Phu Yen fishermen and transfer advanced technologies and make a commitment to consume their products.
