According to the Department of Customs, Vietnam exported 6.82 million tonnes of rice in the first nine months of 2025, earning US$3.48 billion. This represents a slight 2% drop in volume but a notable 20% decline in value year on year, reflecting the global cooling of rice prices after the spike in 2024.

Significant decreases were recorded in traditional markets, especially within ASEAN. Exports to the Philippines which is Vietnam’s largest rice buyer, fell nearly 9%. Shipments to Indonesia plummeted by 97% due to policy shifts, while exports to Malaysia and Cambodia dropped by 42% and nearly 28%, respectively.

In contrast, rice exports to several non-traditional markets surged. Shipments to China rose 148% to nearly 600,000 tonnes. In Africa, exports to Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana grew 152% and 79%, respectively. Exports to Senegal even rose 95 times compared to the same period last year. Exports to Bangladesh also witnessed a staggering 254-fold increase.

These five emerging markets imported 2.48 million tonnes of Vietnamese rice, up 147% year on year, becoming key drivers of Vietnam’s overall export performance despite market volatility.

Other markets also recorded solid growth, including Chile (up 146%), the Netherlands (up 36%), the UAE (up 18%), the United States (up 15%), and Mozambique (up 10%), further underscoring the effectiveness of Vietnam’s market diversification strategy.

Vietnam’s rice exports remain stable despite import pauses by Philippines

Vietnam’s rice exports are unlikely to be significantly affected in the short term, Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang said at a meeting on September 11 with businesses and associations following reports that the Philippines and Indonesia had temporarily suspended rice imports from early September.