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Tuna: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in tuna totaled $14.5 billion (4.2 million tonnes). The top exporters were Thailand (17%), Ecuador (10%) and Spain (9%); the top importers were Thailand (11%), the United States (11%) and Spain (8%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 8%.

Summary

World trade
$14.5billion
Tonnes
4.2million tonnes
Price per tonne
$3,426
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. Thailand$2.5 billion · 17%
    see destinations
  2. Ecuador$1.5 billion · 10.2%
    see destinations
  3. Spain$1.4 billion · 9.4%
  4. China$968 million · 6.7%
  5. Indonesia$724 million · 5%
  6. Taiwan$648 million · 4.5%
  7. Seychelles$489 million · 3.4%
  8. Papua New Guinea$425 million · 2.9%
  9. Vietnam$415 million · 2.9%
  10. Philippines$395 million · 2.7%
  11. South Korea$356 million · 2.5%
  12. Micronesia$318 million · 2.2%
  13. Mauritius$307 million · 2.1%
  14. Italy$305 million · 2.1%
  15. France$224 million · 1.6%
  16. Mexico$200 million · 1.4%
  17. Portugal$174 million · 1.2%
  18. Ghana$153 million · 1.1%
  19. Nauru$153 million · 1.1%
  20. Netherlands$144 million · 0.99%
    re-exports

Top importers

  1. Thailand$1.6 billion · 11.2%
    see sources
  2. United States$1.6 billion · 10.8%
    see sources
  3. Spain$1.2 billion · 8.4%
  4. Italy$1.1 billion · 7.3%
  5. Japan$999 million · 6.9%
  6. France$608 million · 4.2%
  7. United Kingdom$533 million · 3.7%
  8. Germany$433 million · 3%
  9. Vietnam$363 million · 2.5%
  10. Netherlands$355 million · 2.5%
    re-exports
  11. Portugal$274 million · 1.9%
  12. China$274 million · 1.9%
  13. Philippines$258 million · 1.8%
  14. Australia$255 million · 1.8%
  15. Saudi Arabia$254 million · 1.8%
  16. Canada$211 million · 1.5%
  17. Israel$210 million · 1.5%
  18. Libya$194 million · 1.3%
  19. United Arab Emirates$188 million · 1.3%
  20. Mauritius$164 million · 1.1%

Trend

Who sells it

Thailand was the top exporter throughout the period

Value in USD billions. The five largest exporters in 2024.

  • Thailand 2.5
  • Ecuador 1.5
  • Spain 1.4
  • China 0.97
  • Indonesia 0.72

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
Thailand0.612.5
Ecuador0.161.5
Spain0.31.4
China0.010.97
Indonesia0.30.72

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne rose 39% since 1995

Current US dollars per tonne: value over the weight reported by BACI.

  • 2024: $3,426

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$2,461
1996$2,328
1997$1,990
1998$2,422
1999$2,209
2000$2,183
2001$2,176
2002$2,236
2003$2,140
2004$2,417
2005$2,408
2006$2,517
2007$2,765
2008$3,372
2009$2,903
2010$2,874
2011$3,440
2012$4,141
2013$4,067
2014$3,525
2015$3,023
2016$2,591
2017$3,481
2018$3,479
2019$3,255
2020$3,172
2021$3,216
2022$3,419
2023$3,761
2024$3,426

What it includes

Fresh, frozen and canned; canned tuna includes bonito.

  • 030231 · subheading of heading 0302: Fresh fish
  • 030232 · subheading of heading 0302: Fresh fish
  • 030233 · subheading of heading 0302: Fresh fish
  • 030239 · subheading of heading 0302: Fresh fish
  • 030341 · subheading of heading 0303: Frozen fish
  • 030342 · subheading of heading 0303: Frozen fish
  • 030343 · subheading of heading 0303: Frozen fish
  • 030349 · subheading of heading 0303: Frozen fish
  • 160414 · subheading of heading 1604: Prepared fish and caviar

Products in the same chapter

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

See all products