Tesco Tuna Flakes in Brine 185g

Ecuador increased market share in the EU canned tuna market

EUROPEAN UNION
Thursday, April 09, 2020, 00:00 (GMT + 9)

Vasep, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters,  reports that in n 2019, canned tuna imports of the European Union (EU) remained stable, nearly equivalent to the same period in 2018. EU continues to be a market for fish consumption. The world's largest canned tuna.

According to Eurostat statistics, in 2019, EU canned tuna imports reached 640,426 tons, 1,500 tons higher than the previous year, showing the stability of the market. However, it can be seen that the demand for canned tuna in the EU is improving when looking at the figure of 2017, 17,000 tons lower than in 2019.

The average price of canned tuna imports to the EU in 2019 decreased by 3% compared to the same period in 2018, although it was still higher than in 2017. In general, European buyers paid less than 152 EUR / tons compared to 2018, and more than 181 EUR / ton compared to 2017.

Among the suppliers, Ecuador currently holds the highest market share in the EU canned tuna market segment. Ecuadorian canned producers are supplying about 18.7% of total EU canned tuna imports in 2019. The country's exports to the EU last year had a significant growth between the past two years. , 25,200 tons higher than in 2017. Remarkably, within one year the country increased its delivery to more than 1,172 cotainer 20 feet. The reason for this growth is attributed to the Free Trade Agreement that Ecuador signed in the EU in 2017. This has allowed Ecuador's canned tuna products to be exported to the EU. 0%, much lower than the EU's current tax rates for Vietnam and Thailand.

Last year, although the EU warned the South American country needed to improve its illegal, undeclared and unregulated (IUU) operations to meet EU import standards. Therefore, Ecuador received a yellow card from the EU in October 2019. But it is clear that its exports to the EU are not significantly affected by this. However, if the country gets a red card, it means that the EU will lose its major supplier of canned tuna and upset the market.

In a market with a stable volume, Ecuador's market expansion has removed orders from other canned exporting countries such as Spain, Seychelles, Ivory Coast or Vietnam. 

In 2019, Vietnam's canned tuna exports decreased by 9% in value compared to 2018. Vietnamese canned tuna producers and processors are facing a lot of difficulties in the battle for market share in Vietnam. Europe due to high taxes. Moreover, the influence of the yellow card received by Vietnam is strongly affecting Vietnam's tuna export to this market. 

It is forecasted that the demand for importing canned tuna of EU countries in 2020 will continue to increase due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic. Besides, the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is expected to officially take effect in June, but in the short term, canned tuna products of Vietnam are not really Benefit greatly from this agreement. Therefore, Vietnam's tuna exports to the EU in 2020 will not have a breakthrough. 

Author: Nguyen Tin Van Ha/VASEP

editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media

Print