In August alone, export turnover was estimated at US$5.71 billion, down 3% from a year earlier. Despite this decline, the overall eight-month performance remained positive, with most product groups posting growth.

Agricultural products contributed the largest share with US$24.42 billion in eight months, a rise of 13.8%. Livestock products brought in US$410.7 million, up 24.5%, while aquatic exports were valued at US$7.03 billion, an increase of 11.5%. Forestry products earned US$11.9 billion, up 6.6% against the same period of 2024.

Asia remained the biggest regional buyer, accounting for 43.1% of Vietnam’s agro-forestry-aquatic shipments. It was followed by the Americas with 23.2% and Europe with 14.6%. Africa and Oceania represented smaller shares at 3.1% and 1.3%, respectively.

Compared to the same period last year, the export value to Europe rose sharply by 38.7%, while shipments to the Americas grew 10.6% and to Asia 1.2%. Exports to Africa doubled, and those to Oceania expanded 2.8%.

The US, China, and Japan were Vietnam’s largest individual markets, respectively making up 20.9%, 19%, and 7.1% of the total. Shipments to the US increased 8.1%, to China 2.6%, and to Japan 19.8%.

Coffee led growth among all commodities. In the first eight months, coffee exports reached 1.2 million tonnes worth US$6.42 billion, up 8.7% in volume and 59.1% in value. Average export price surged 46.4% year-on-year to US$5,580 per tonne.

Rubber exports totalled 1.1 million tonnes worth US$1.94 billion, with volume slipping 1.2% and value rising 10.2% thanks to higher prices. Cashew exports also benefited from price gains, raking in US$3.24 billion, up 16.4% despite a 1.2% decline in volume. Pepper shipments generated US$1.12 billion, up 26.9% even though volumes dropped nearly 10%.

In contrast, the rice export volume went up 2.2%, but value fell 17.5% due to a 19.3% drop in average price to US$504.9 per tonne.

Tea exports continued to struggle, with volume down 7.9% to 86,600 tonnes and value down 11% to US$144.7 million during the eight months.

Fruit and vegetable exports stood at US$4.62 billion, down 2.2% year-on-year. The decline was largely attributed to a 15.1% fall in shipments to China, which accounts for more than half of Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable exports, statistics show.

Agro-forestry-aquatic product exports increase over 13% in first quarter

Vietnam's agro-forestry-aquatic product exports reached US$6.14 billion in March, bringing the total export value in the first quarter of this year to US$15.72 billion, a year-on-year increase of 13.1%.