Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s export value of agro-forestry-fishery products reached 21.15 billion USD in the first four months of 2025, while imports stood at 15.97 billion USD, resulting in a trade surplus of 5.18 billion USD, a year-on-year decrease of 4.1%, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE).
Tran Gia Long, Deputy Director of the MAE’s Planning and Finance Department, said that agro-forestry-fishery exports totalled 21.15 billion USD during the reviewed period, rising 10.7% from a year earlier.
Many groups of commodities recorded export growth compared to the same period last year. Of these, revenue from agricultural products reached 11.6 billion USD, up 11.7% year-on-year; forestry products earned 5.56 billion USD, rising 11.2%; aquatic products brought home 3.09 billion USD, increasing 13.7%; livestock products totalled 178 million USD, a 16.8% rise; and input production materials 722 million USD, up 20%.
During the four months, six commodities recorded more than 1 billion USD in value, led by wood and wood products at 5.2 billion USD (up 5.8%), coffee at 3.78 billion USD (up 51.1%), and shrimp at 1.24 billion USD (up 28.4%). By contrast, rice exports fell 14.3% to 1.75 billion USD while fruit and vegetable shipments declined 14.2% to 1.62 billion USD.
Long emphasised that one positive sign in agro-forestry-fishery exports is the double-digit increase in the average export prices of several agricultural products. Specifically, prices of coffee averaged 5,698 USD per tonne, up 67.5%; rubber 1,935 USD per tonne, up 30.2%; pepper 6,893 USD per tonne, up 62.5%; and cashew nuts at 6,808 USD per tonne, up 27%.
However, some others saw a decline in export prices. The rice export price dropped 20% to 514 USD per tonne, while tea decreased 2.2% to 1,608 USD per tonne.
US remains largest export market
By region, exports to the Americas reached 4.83 billion USD (up 12.6%), Europe 3.48 billion USD (up 37.7%), and Africa 648 million USD (up 78.4%). Shipments to Asia fell 1.3% to 8.82 billion USD, and to Oceania down 2.6% to 263 million USD.
The US, China, and Japan remained the top three markets for Vietnam’s agro-forestry-fishery products during the January–April period. Exports to the US rose 10.2%, accounting for 20.5% of the total; that to China fell 1.1%, representing 17.1%; and that to Japan increased 23.3%, making up 7.5%.
Imports of agro-forestry-fishery products were valued at 15.97 billion USD during the reviewed period, up 16.6% year-on-year. Of which, agricultural product imports stood at 10.17 billion USD (up 18.4%); livestock products 1.39 billion USD (up 27.8%); aquatic products 1.02 billion USD (up 29%); forestry products 943 million USD, (up 20.2%); salt 10.6 million USD, down 12.3%; and input production materials 2.44 billion USD, up 0.3%.
Regarding goods suppliers for Vietnam, imports from the Americas were estimated at over 3.99 billion USD (up 13.5%), Asia 4.7 billion USD (up 12.5%), Europe 665 million USD (up 11%), Africa 403 million USD (up 87.9%), and Oceania 556 million USD (up 2.1%).
The MoAE said it is coordinating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and other agencies to fine-tune policies and implement measures to boost the sale of agro-forestry-fishery products.
The ministry is also drafting a project on developing a logistics system to improve the quality and competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural products by 2030. It is about to release an action plan to carry out the Government-assigned tasks on expanding markets for the products, particularly the rice industry. Additionally, it is compiling a report on recent developments in agricultural, forestry, and fishery trade between Vietnam and the US amid ongoing global fluctuations./.
