While Thailand continues to be the largest exporter of tuna to the US, the rate of growth of exports from China grew the most in the first nine months of 2009.
According to Atuna, Thailand reported an eleven percent increase of tuna exports from 65.9 million tonnes in 2008 to 73.7 percent in 2009. Chinese exports grew 14 percent from 4.5 tonnes to 5.1 tonnes in the same period.
The report said that the closure of the Chicken of the Sea cannery in American Samoa could have contributed to the Thai figures. Additionally, Thai processors are losing ground in other markets such as Europe, which imposes a 24 percent duty.
Other major exporters experienced a decrease in sales. Ecuadorian exports decreased the most at 19 percent from 11.4 tonnes to 9.4 tonnes this year. Indonesian and Vietnamese exports both fell twelve percent.
