Expanding markets, Vietnam’s AFF exports rise over 15%

This information was released on July 3 at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s June press conference.

According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien, Vietnam’s agriculture sector maintained a positive development trajectory during the first half of 2025, despite the complex global and domestic context. The Ministry proactively implemented flexible and expeditious solutions to resolve challenges, boost production, stabilize the market, and promote exports under the strong direction of the Prime Minister.

The sector’s goal is to achieve a 4% growth rate in 2025, with an estimated export turnover of USD 64-65 billion. The total exports for the first half of the year amounted to USD 33.84 billion, a 15.5% increase from the previous year. Notably, the trade surplus reached USD 9.83 billion, a 16.5% increase, reflecting Vietnam’s growing competitiveness in international agricultural markets. Deputy Minister Tien confirmed that the government’s export goal of USD 70 billion is entirely feasible in light of this momentum.

The first half of 2024 saw stable rice production, with a total of 22.7 million tonnes produced, a decrease from the 43.5 million tonnes produced throughout the year. Vietnamese rice exports reached 9.18 million tonnes, further solidifying the country’s status and reputation within the global food supply chain.

Deputy Minister Tien emphasized a significant change in the structure of the export market. The U.S. and China had virtually equal export shares last year, with 21.8% and 21.6%, respectively. Nevertheless, the U.S. market reached USD 7.14 billion (21.1%) in the first six months of this year, while China’s market declined to USD 5.94 billion (17.6%). The exports to Japan increased by 7.2% to USD 2.44 billion, suggesting that there have been positive developments.

This development necessitates a strategic adjustment in the areas of market expansion and trade promotion. For key commodities such as coffee, rice, fruit, pangasius, and shrimp, the Ministry is stepping up efforts to broaden market access. Vietnam’s agreement with Brazil regarding beef exports and the potential for expanded pangasius, coffee, and rice exports to this prospective market are recent highlights.

A 3.8% increase in the first half of the year has resulted in Vietnam’s swine herd currently ranking fifth globally in livestock. There is an expectation of further growth in 2025, as the total meat output in 2024 reached 8.24 million tonnes. The anticipated milk production is approximately 1.25 million tonnes. Nevertheless, Deputy Minister Tien observed that livestock growth in 2024 was 5.4%, which is still lower than the 5.93% documented in 2022. Nevertheless, livestock continues to be a critical component of the sector’s expansion.

The veterinary sector continues to implement synchronized measures to effectively manage hazardous infectious diseases, including avian influenza, PRRS (blue ear), foot-and-mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, and African swine fever, in the overall picture of animal disease control. Low vaccination coverage was the primary cause of 82 rabies-related fatalities in 2024. There are currently no official figures available for the first half of 2025. The Deputy Minister asked the Department of Livestock Production and Veterinary Services to review and submit a comprehensive report on rabies for the upcoming mid-year evaluations, as well as to devise effective prevention strategies.

In the fisheries sector, the output was approximately half of the annual estimate, at 4.6 million tonnes. However, the development rate was a mere 3.1%, necessitating heightened endeavors in both the northern and southern regions to achieve the annual objective of 9.6–9.7 million tonnes. In the first half of the year, the export turnover from fisheries amounted to USD 5.16 billion.

Deputy Minister Tien underscored the critical role of science, technology, and innovation in transforming the growth model from extensive to intensive, with the objective of achieving sustainable development and promoting long-term development. The agriculture sector is dedicated to the principle of not exchanging environmental protection for economic growth, thereby guaranteeing economic efficacy and social equity.

Institutional reform is also being accelerated. To empower localities to take initiative and be innovative in implementation, the government has issued decrees on administrative reform and decentralization. The Ministry is presently reviewing and proposing amendments to sectoral laws to establish new policy directions and a more efficient and effective legal framework.

According to a representative from the Department of Planning and Finance, in 2025, the agriculture sector will be resolute in its commitment to the continued development of value chains from production to processing despite the ongoing global and domestic economic and political challenges. This approach aims to enhance value, improve competitiveness, and expand both domestic and export markets.

The Ministry will prioritize enhancing institutional frameworks, removing policy impediments, establishing sustainable supply chains, implementing sector-specific development strategies, and adjusting production in accordance with market signals to prevent supply-demand imbalances. In addition, it will enhance quality control, traceability, brand development, and trade promotion to increase market share in major and emerging export markets, including the EU, China, and Japan.