Source: FishSite
According to Vietnamese Customs, during the first four months of 2011, exports of tuna reported 31,000 metric tons (MT), worth USD 148 million – up nearly 16 percent in volume and 36.5 percent in value on those of the same period of last year.
Of that volume, exports of raw tuna reached 17,800MT, worth over USD 10 million, according to the Vietnam Association for Seafood Exporters and Processors (Vasep). This represents, nearly 50 percent increase both in volume and value while exports of finished products reached over 13,000MT, valued at USD 37.8 million, down 11.2 percent in volume but up 9.1 percent in value.
Tuna exports to EU, a major tuna importer for Vietnam, maintained a double-digit growth rate: 31.7 percent in volume and 34.9 percent in value, equal to 6,770MT and USD 24.1 million, respectively.
During the first four months of 2011, main items shipped to EU were raw tuna with 3,980MT, worth USD 17 million, accounting for 70.5 percent of total tuna export value to the market. These figures were up 35 per cent both in volume and value on those of the same period in 2010. Exports finished tuna products represented 29.5 percent of the total tuna exports, up 27 percent in volume and 48.6 percent in value.
Although Japan suffered from the consequences of disasters, Vietnamese seafood exports in general and tuna exports in particular to the market were recorded positive signs. Compared to the same period of last year, tuna export value to Japan in April 2011, recorded growth of 151.8 percent. The average export price reached USD 7.81 per kilo, up almost 50 percent on the same month of 2010.
Tuna exports to the US also increased sharply. In April 2011, Vietnam exported 3,223MT of tuna to the US, valued over USD 23 million, up 18 per cent in volume and 73.6 percent in value on those of the corresponding period of 2010. The value was up four-fold than the volume. The average export price to this market tends to increase higher – now at USD 7.15 per kilo, up 47 percent on 2010.