Sharp Increase In Tuna Exports

According to the Vietnam Association for Seafood Exporters and Processors (Vasep), of that volume, exports of raw tuna (code 03) reached 17,800MT, worth over $10 million, up nearly 50 per cent both in volume and value while exports of finished products reached over 13,000MT, valued at $37.8 million, down 11.2 per cent in volume but up 9.1 per cent in value.

Tuna exports to EU, a major tuna importer for Viet Nam, maintained a double-digit growth rate: 31.7 per cent in volume and 34.9 per cent in value, equal to 6,770MT and $24.1 million, respectively.

During the first four months of 2011, main items shipped to EU were raw tuna (code 03) with 3,980MT, worth $17 million, accounting for 70.5 per cent 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 (code 16) represented 29.5 per cent of the total tuna exports, up 27 per cent in volume and 48.6 per cent 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 per cent. The average export price reached $7.81 per kilo, up almost 50 per cent on the same month of 2010.

Tuna exports to the US also increased sharply. In April 2011, Viet Nam exported 3,223MT of tuna to the US, valued over $23 million, up 18 per cent in volume and 73.6 per cent 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 $7.15 per kilo, up 47 per cent on 2010.