Despite numerous challenges facing Vietnamese agricultural exports at the beginning of the year, performance remained difficult. However, the strong performance of coffee, durian, and cashew nuts has provided fresh momentum. This momentum has helped the sector achieve a new export record.
By the end of November, Vietnam’s exports of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products reached $64 billion. This figure was up 12.6% year on year and surpassed the previous full-year record for 2024. At this pace, the $70 billion target for the entire year is now within reach.
Within this overall picture, Vietnam’s agricultural exports continued to play a central role, generating $34.24 billion in value. This represented an increase of 15% compared to the same period of 2024. Vietnam’s fruits and vegetables emerged as the leading segment by volume. Meanwhile, coffee made a strong mark in terms of value.
Vietnamese agricultural exports
Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable enterprises have emerged as the brightest spot in Vietnamese agricultural exports in 2025. As the year draws to a close, export value for this group has exceeded $8.5 billion. This result is up 20% year on year and marks the highest level on record. Durian continues to serve as a pillar, with export value surpassing $3.5 billion.
However, growth is no longer dependent on a single product. Processed fruit and vegetable exports have, for the first time, exceeded $1.5 billion. This reflects a clear trend toward extending the value chain and gradually reducing reliance on fresh exports.
Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen is the Secretary General of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association. He stated these results demonstrated the strong adaptability of enterprises amid early-year challenges. Stricter technical requirements and import controls caused these challenges.
He noted that the fruit and vegetable sector has moved past its most difficult period and is entering a new growth cycle. This comes as both traditional markets and high-standard markets continue to expand. However, he also emphasized that sustainable growth will depend on continued efforts to standardize cultivation areas, strengthen quality control, and diversify export markets.
Vietnamese durian for export
Alongside the expansion in scale, Vietnamese fruit and vegetable exports this year have also seen a clear shift in market structure. Among import markets, China still remains the largest segment. However, exports to the United States and the European Union have surged by 40–60%. This shift has gradually reduced dependence on a single market and enhanced the positioning of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables in higher-value segments.
While fruits and vegetables lead in terms of volume, Vietnamese coffee stands out as the sector making the strongest mark in terms of value in 2025. Over the first 11 months of the year, coffee export turnover reached nearly $8 billion. This figure was up 61% year on year and likely to reach around $8.3 billion for the full year. Notably, this would be the highest level on record.
The average export price rose to $5,667 per ton, an increase of nearly 40%. This occurred amid declining global supply due to prolonged droughts in Brazil and Vietnam. At the same time, demand in Europe, the United States, and Asia has recovered.
Vietnamese coffee bean
Mr. Nguyen Nam Hai is the Chairman of the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association. He said that the year of 2025 marks a year of clear progress for the coffee sector. According to him, high prices do not solely drive these results. Instead, they reflect years of efforts to improve the quality of Vietnamese coffee beans.
These efforts range from the development of specialty coffee and the attainment of sustainability certifications to higher standards in processing and traceability. As quality improves, Vietnamese coffee is increasingly being prioritized by major roasters.
Europe remains the largest market for Vietnamese coffee exports, with Germany, Italy, and Spain playing key roles. The United States’ imposition of additional tariffs on Brazilian coffee has also created more room for Vietnamese Robusta to expand its market share. This is particularly evident as quality has improved significantly.
Alongside fruits and vegetables and coffee, cashew nuts have continued to reinforce Vietnam’s position in the global agricultural supply chain. Over the first 11 months of the year, Vietnamese cashew exports reached $4.76 billion in value. This was up 19.5%, marking the highest level on record. It is likely that the full-year exports will exceed $5 billion.
Vietnamese dragon fruit for export
However, heavy reliance on imported raw materials remains a bottleneck. This dependence keeps profit margins thin and underscores the need to accelerate deep processing and brand development.
Overall, 2025 marks a new growth phase for Vietnamese agricultural exports. Fruits and vegetables have emerged as the pillar in terms of scale, while coffee leads in value. At the same time, other commodities continue to maintain their roles in the global supply chain. The records achieved reflect a broader trend toward higher quality standards. They also indicate expanded processing and greater market diversification.
Vietnamese agricultural exports entered 2025 under significant pressure, ranging from market volatility to increasingly stringent technical requirements in importing countries. From mid-year onward, however, growth momentum gradually improved as key sectors recovered and export values rose.
This trajectory indicates that sector growth is no longer driven primarily by volume expansion. Instead, the added value and improved quality have increasingly played an important role.
Vietnamese macadamia
From a policy perspective, speaking at a recent economic forum, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang emphasized that for more than 80 years, Vietnamese agricultural sector has served as a pillar of the economy. It has played a vital role in ensuring food security, maintaining social stability, and advancing sustainable development goals.
According to the Minister, continued institutional reforms and the removal of legal bottlenecks will form the foundation for sustaining growth. In addition, the promotion of green transformation and the circular economy will also support this effort. These measures will help agricultural, forestry, and fishery exports achieve new milestones.
From a longer-term perspective, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that the government is targeting $100 billion in agricultural, forestry, and fishery exports. The agricultural sector should base its development on science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation to realize this goal.
At the same time, it must effectively leverage free trade agreements and invest in logistics infrastructure. Raising standards for quality and traceability is also essential. In this process, the green economy and circular economy are treated as core, cross-cutting requirements throughout integration.
Vietnamese source: https://vnexpress.net/ca-phe-sau-rieng-but-pha-dua-nong-san-lap-ky-luc-moi-4996985.html