Tuna export: Continue to get the breakthrough

Among the key seafood export items of Vietnam in 2010, tuna was the leading seafood item in terms of value growth, making a great contribution to Vietnam's seafood export achievements. Earlier 2011, this item maintains its performance, recording a remarkable growth of 37.9% in volume and 62.6% in value in compared with the same period of last year. In January 2011, Vietnam exports 8,256 tons of tuna products, generating USD37.168 million, accounting for 8.6% of Vietnam total seafood export value. And this proportion continues to increase, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to VASEP.

The significant gap between value and volume shows that Vienamese entreprises  were taking great efforts to promoting exports of high-quality and high value seafood products. According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, the processed tuna export (code HS 16), mainly canned tuna, was up by 19.6% in value while going down by 0.2% in volume. The average price of processed tuna for export  was USD2.72 per kilogram. The raw tuna export (code HS 03) reached 4,661 tons, up 95.4% in volume, worth USD27.39 million, up 86.6% in value, accounting for 74% of total tuna export value. The average price of this item was USD5.9 per kilogram.

In January, tuna products from 51 Vietnamese entreprises were exported to 41 global markets. In which the United States accounts for 59% with USD21.9 million; the EU represents 15.6% with USD5.8 million; Japan 10% with USD3.7 million.

At the beginning of this year, most of main markets boosted their import of Vietnamese tuna. In fact, Liban's tuna import value was 6 times higher than last year; Israel with 4.5 times higher; tuna export to the 3 biggest markets increased by 63-73%.

Vietnam export tuna got the highest price in Japanese market with the average price of USD7.02 per kilogram, up about 23% compared with the same period of the previous year. It was followed by U.S. market with a rise of 43%, reaching USD6.68 per kilogram. The export prices to other markets are also following this trend.

It is predictable that tuna export over the next months will drastically increase. With the establishment of Vietnam Association of Tuna in November 2011 in order to boost tuna caught volume, tuna processing and businesses, Vietnam tuna exporters will be successful in strengthening the position of their products in global markets. The Association says the yearly objective is to reach 15,000 tons of the tuna, 80,000 tons of other tuna species, 120,000 tons of processed tuna for export, which includes even import raw tuna for processing. According to the Association, by 2015, the ocean tuna caught volume is planned to rise to 30,000 tons, including 13,000 tons in the international waters; pelagic tuna volume will be 120,000 tons; consumption of tuna will reach 200,000 tons. It also plans to build up fishing fleets with modern technologies and expand its ficher fleets.