Agro-forestry-aquatic product exports increase over 13% in first quarter

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Việt Nam recorded a trade surplus of US$4.4 billion in agro-forestry-aquatic products in the first quarter, up 13.1 per cent compared the same period last year.

Việt Nam earned $15.72 billion in agro-forestry-aquatic product exports during Q1 2025, up 13.1 per cent year on year. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's agro-forestry-aquatic product exports reached US$6.14 billion in March, bringing the total export value in the first quarter of this year to $15.72 billion, a year-on-year increase of 13.1 per cent.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Việt Nam recorded a trade surplus of $4.4 billion in agro-forestry-aquatic products in the first quarter, up 13.1 per cent compared the same period last year. Specifically, the export value of agricultural products reached $8.53 billion, up 12.2 per cent; livestock products $131.3 million, up 18.5 per cent; aquatic products $2.29 billion, up 18.1 per cent; and forestry products $4.21 billion, up 11.2 per cent.

By product group, forestry products, aquatic products, and agricultural products are the three categories that posted trade surpluses. Specifically, the group of forestry products is estimated to have a surplus of $3.54 billion, up 9.1 per cent compared to the same period in 2024; the group of aquatic products has a surplus of $1.51 billion, up 14.1 per cent; and the group of agricultural products has a surplus of $1.48 billion, up 16.9 per cent. Three export items with the highest trade surpluses were wood and wooden products, coffee, and shrimp, with surpluses of $3.29 billion, $2.79 billion, and $792.6 million, respectively.  

Asia is the largest export market for Việt Nam's agro-forestry-aquatic products, as it holds a 42 per cent market share. It is followed by the Americas and Europe, with market shares of 22.5 per cent and 16.6 per cent, respectively.

Compared to the same period last year, the export value of Việt Nam's agro-forestry-aquatic products to Asia increased by two per cent; to the Americas up 15.7 per cent; to Europe up 37.8 per cent; to Africa up more than 100 per cent; and to Oceania up 0.8 per cent.

Regarding key exports, in the first three months of 2025, Việt Nam exported 509,500 tonnes of coffee worth $2.88 billion, down 12.9 per cent in export volume but up 49.5 per cent in value compared to the same period last year.

Rubber also saw a decrease of 4.4 per cent in export volume but an increase of 26.1 per cent in value, reaching 396,100 tonnes valued at $765.8 million. China is the largest market for Vietnamese rubber, holding a 73.7 per cent market share. The second and third largest markets are India and Indonesia, with market shares of 3.8 per cent and 3.2 per cent, respectively. Similarly, thanks to favourable export prices, Việt Nam’s cashew nut exports posted a decrease of 19.3 per cent in volume but an increase of 4.3 per cent in value compared with those of the same period last year. It exported 121,400 tonnes of cashew nuts worth $841.1 million.

Meanwhile, in the first quarter of this year, Việt Nam exported 2.2 million tonnes of rice valued at $1.14 billion, an increase of 0.6 per cent in volume but a decrease of 19.7 per cent in value compared to the same period in 2024.

The Philippines is the largest market for Vietnamese rice, holding a 42.1 per cent market share. It is followed by Ivory Coast and Ghana with market shares of 16.3 per cent and 10.2 per cent, respectively. The export value of vegetables and fruits in the first quarter reached $1.14 billion, a decrease of 11.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. Vietnamese vegetables and fruits are mainly exported to China, with an export value accounting for 44.5 per cent of the total.  Việt Nam’s tea exports reached 27,300 tonnes valued at $44.4 million, up 3 per cent in volume and 2.7 per cent in value compared to the same period in 2024.