Hanoi (VNA) – Following durian's export boom, a new generation of Vietnamese agricultural products, from pepper and lobster to banana and coconut, is emerging as strong contenders for billion-dollar export status, supported by robust demand, expanding markets and greater investment in value-added processing.
Vietnam's agricultural exports reached 36 billion USD in the first half of 2026, up 6% year-on-year. While overall growth remained below the government's double-digit target, several products posted strong performance and are showing significant export potential.
Lobster, tilapia emerge as export stars
The fisheries sector was among the few to achieve double-digit growth despite global headwinds. Fishery exports rose 11.4% year-on-year to 5.7 billion USD, supported by businesses' swift shift toward the Chinese market as exports to the US faced difficulties. Exports to the billion-strong market surged 41.7%, making China the destination for 25% of Vietnam's agro-forestry-fishery exports during the January–June period.
Lobster has risen as one of the sector's brightest performers, with exports climbing 44.3% to 585 million USD during the reviewed period. Having generated about 858 million USD in 2025, the seafood is widely expected to surpass the one-billion-dollar mark this year.
China is now Vietnam's largest lobster market. It imported about 69,800 tonnes in 2025, with Vietnam supplying around 24,100 tonnes, or 34.5% of the market share. Vietnamese exporters have benefited from geographical proximity, shorter delivery times and competitive logistics costs while trade tensions have weakened rival suppliers from Canada, the US and Australia.
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said the current growth momentum provides ample room for lobster to become a strategic billion-dollar export for the country's fisheries industry.
Tilapia is also gaining traction, particularly in Japan, where the Vietnamese fish is increasingly used for sushi and sashimi. Exports to Japan soared 54% year-on-year to 1.4 million USD in the first half, with higher-value fillets and processed products accounting for a growing share, according to VASEP.
Other seafood products also recorded robust growth, including squid and octopus, crab and other crustaceans, and shellfish, highlighting expanding opportunities across the sector.
Squid and octopus exports reached 380.2 million USD in the period, up 18.8% year on year. Overseas shipments of crab and other crustaceans totalled 206.2 million USD, an increase of 26.2%, while shellfish exports rose 33.1% to 155.3 million USD. Exports of other molluscs, though still modest in value, posted a surge of 84.4%.
Boosting value through deep processing
Beyond fishery products, pepper is regaining momentum. Pepper exports hit 152,000 tonnes worth 946 million USD during the reviewed period, up 23% in volume and 12% in value from a year earlier. Vietnam remains the world's leading pepper supplier, while tightening global supply and rising demand are expected to push exports to a record 2 billion USD for the first time.
The US and Germany remain the largest importers of Vietnamese pepper. Experts say Vietnam's compliance with sustainability and anti-deforestation standards has strengthened its competitiveness in these high-value markets.
In the fruit and vegetable sector, banana, coconut and passion fruit are also viewed as promising candidates for billion-dollar exports.
Pham Quoc Liem, Chairman of the U&I Agricultural Corporation (Unifarm), said Vietnam already ranks among the world's top 10 banana exporters, with earnings of about 418 million USD and substantial room for expansion. He stressed that reaching the one-billion-dollar milestone will depend not only on expanding cultivation but also on strengthening the entire value chain, from varieties and production to processing and marketing.
In addition, large-scale production areas should be developed, and production linkages expanded through the transfer of breeding stock, farming techniques and quality standards, Liem stressed.
Experts also see deep processing as the next major growth driver, particularly in China, where demand for convenient, safe and natural food products is growing rapidly.
Dinh Cao Khue, Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Dong Giao Foodstuff Export JSC, said processed products such as concentrated fruit juice, IQF frozen fruits and vegetables, canned products and juices offer higher added value and more stable returns than fresh produce./.
