Specifically, processed and canned tuna export turnover increased from US$91 million in 2020 to US$154 million this year, equivalent to a 70% rise.

Insiders assessed that Vietnamese canned tuna exports are gradually recovering and are at a higher figure than the same period from 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

April alone saw Vietnamese exports of processed and canned tuna enjoy a rise of 29% to reach nearly US$87 million on-year.

Vietnamese tuna products were exported to more than 90 markets, of which major markets such as the United States, the EU, Israel, Canada, Japan, and Mexico all experienced rapid growth.

Most notably, exports to the US, EU, Russia, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Mexico all posted sharp rises of 37%, 71%, 32%, 158%, 33%, and 43%, respectively.

Meanwhile, exports of fresh and frozen tuna were unstable. After reaching a peak in 2022, exports of this product group saw a downward trajectory. During the four-month period, the export of these products edged up by only 6% against the same period from last year.

Experts revealed that the tuna industry continues to face a number of challenges, including a shortage of raw materials and the EU’s new market regulations.

However, convenience is a key factor for consumers, meaning the demand for processed and canned tuna products will increase in the near future, they emphasized.