Potential for exporting tuna to Poland

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Processing tuna for export at Binh Dinh Seafood Joint Stock Company. Photo: T.H

According to Ms. Nguyen Ha, expert about tuna market of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), after a period of high growth at 3 digits, Vietnam's tuna exports to Poland decreased in September 2023. The value of tuna export to this market is only half of the same period last year, and 1/6 of the previous month.

However, thanks to the high growth in previous months, cumulative tuna export to Poland in the first 9 months of year still increased by 125% over the same period in 2022, reaching more than US$ 4 million.

Among tuna products exported to this market, canned tuna accounts for the largest proportion of more than 83%. Compared to the same period, export of this product group in the first 9 months of the year increased sharply by 211%. According to enterprises, one of the reasons on increasing sharply canned tuna export to this market is the impact of inflation. In addition, prices increase in the supply chain (such as the price of vegetable oil, cans and carton packaging all skyrocketing), so EU importers tend to increase direct imports.

In the EU, Poland is the seventh largest tuna import market. The country's tuna import turnover tends to grow continuously in the past 5 years.

According to the latest consumer market research by The Seafood Consumer Index, on average 64% of Polish consumers are eating fish and seafood at least once a week and 28% of Poles are eating fish two or more times a week. Fish is the main choice because it has many nutritional values, Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamine D, selenium, iodine and provides a perfect source of protein. Furthermore, Poles love the flavor of fish, which they can prepare in many ways.

In Poland, fish and seafood foods are very popular and demand is increasing. Currently, more than 76% of Poles aged 20-34 say they want to eat more fish and seafood, and people aged 35-49 is 86%. Stores and supermarkets are the largest sources of goods. Meanwhile, local stores and small markets often only sell frozen fish. 51% of Poles choose fresh fish products and about 50% prefer smoked fish. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, demand increased for products with longer expiry date, such as frozen products and canned fish.

According to VASEP's assessment, despite difficulties from the Covid-19 pandemic, Poland is one of the economies still maintaining growth in Europe. Currently, inflation in Poland remains low. Therefore, Poland is considered a potential market for Vietnamese tuna, especially after EVFTA took effect, Vietnamese tuna products enjoy many tariff incentives.

​ Currently, Vietnam is the third largest source of tuna outside the bloc for the Polish market, after Ecuador and the Philippines. While Philippine export to this market are continuously decreasing, Vietnam's tuna export are improving.