HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam’s pepper exports maintained strong growth momentum in late 2025, lifting total export turnover in the year to a record 1.66 billion USD, the highest level ever recorded by the sector.
According to the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA), the country exported 22,473 tonnes of pepper of all kinds in December, earning 146.4 million USD.
Compared with November, export volume rose 20.9% and value increased 20.5%, while year-on-year growth reached 47.2% in volume and 45.5% in value. Average export prices in December stood at 6,485 USD per tonne for black pepper and 8,565 USD per tonne for white pepper.
The US remained Vietnam’s largest export market in December, accounting for 27.7% of total shipments with 6,233 tonnes, followed by the UAE, China, Thailand and Germany.
For the whole of 2025, Vietnam exported 247,482 tonnes of pepper, including 212,279 tonnes of black pepper and 35,203 tonnes of white pepper.
Although total export volume declined slightly by about 1.2% compared with 2024, export value surged 26%, reflecting sharply higher prices. Average export prices reached 6,607 USD per tonne for black pepper and 8,629 USD per tonne for white pepper, up more than 30% year-on-year.
Despite the impact of reciprocal tariffs, which caused pepper exports to the US to fall nearly 24% year-on-year, the US remained Vietnam’s largest buyer in 2025 with 55,082 tonnes, accounting for 22.3% of total exports.
Other major markets included the UAE (22,232 tonnes), China (19,923 tonnes), India (12,499 tonnes) and Germany (11,820 tonnes).
VPSA Chairwoman Hoang Thi Lien said Vietnam continues to lead the world in pepper exports, but the industry faces growing pressure from stricter sustainability requirements in key markets such as the EU and the US. Challenges related to soil degradation, emissions and plant diseases are prompting a shift toward regenerative farming models and low-carbon production.
Meanwhile, Phan Minh Thong, Chairman of Phuc Sinh Group, noted that many Vietnamese enterprises are investing in processing technologies to boost value-added exports, helping maintain the competitiveness of Vietnamese pepper amid global volatility.
In 2025, Vietnam also imported 42,688 tonnes of pepper for processing and re-export, valued at 266.2 million USD, with Brazil remaining the largest supplier.
As spicy as pepper, cinnamon exports also hit a record, with nearly 120,300 tonnes shipped, generating 300 million USD in export revenue./.
