Agro-forestry-aquatic product exports increase over 13% in Q1

Vietnam's agro-forestry-aquatic product exports reached $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%.

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

Specifically, the export value of agricultural products reached $8.53 billion, up 12.2%; livestock products $131.3 million, up 18.5%; aquatic products $2.29 billion, up 18.1%; and forestry products $4.21 billion, up 11.2%.

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% compared to the same period in 2024; the group of aquatic products has a surplus of $1.51 billion, up 14.1%; and the group of agricultural products has a surplus of $1.48 billion, up 16.9%.

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 Vietnam's agro-forestry-aquatic products as it held a 42% market share. It is followed by the Americas and Europe, with market shares of 22.5% and 16.6%, respectively.

Compared to the same period last year, the export value of Vietnam's agro-forestry-aquatic products to Asia increased by 2%; to the Americas up 15.7%; to Europe up 37.8%; to Africa up more than 100%; and to Oceania up 0.8%.

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

Rubber also saw a decrease of 4.4% in export volume but an increase of 26.1% in value, reaching 396,100 tons valued at $765.8 million. China is the largest market for Vietnamese rubber, holding a 73.7% market share. The second and third largest markets are India and Indonesia, with market shares of 3.8% and 3.2%, respectively.

Similarly, thanks to favourable export prices, Vietnam’s cashew nut exports posted a decrease of 19.3% in volume but an increase of 4.3% in value compared with those of the same period last year. It exported 121,400 tons of cashew nuts worth $841.1 million.

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

The Philippines is the largest market for Vietnamese rice, holding a 42.1% market share. It is followed by Ivory Coast and Ghana with market shares of 16.3% and 10.2%, respectively.

The export value of vegetables and fruits in the first quarter reached $1.14 billion, a decrease of 11.3% compared to the same period in 2024. Vietnamese vegetables and fruits are mainly exported to China with an export value accounting for 44.5% of the total.

Vietnam’s tea exports reached 27,300 tons valued at $44.4 million, up 3% in volume and 2.7% in value compared to the same period in 2024.