Exports of Vietnamese pepper are regaining strong growth momentum after a period of decline in 2025. This recovery is particularly driven by recovering demand from the U.S. and Chinese markets.
In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam exported 96.8 thousand tons of pepper. Accordingly, the export revenue reached nearly USD 623 million. This represents an increase of 31.6% in volume and 22.6% in value compared to the same period last year.
Thanks to the strong growth in pepper, Vietnam’s spice businesses achieved total exports of around 150 thousand tons. They are equivalent to USD 760 million in the export value in the first four months of the year. This went up 20% in volume and 15% in value compared to the same period in 2025.
Exports of Vietnamese pepper
The strongest growth driver for exports of Vietnamese pepper at present is the U.S. market. After a slowdown in imports during 2025, U.S. companies are increasing purchases again in order to meet orders for late this year and early 2027.
In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam exported nearly 25 thousand tons of pepper to the United States. The export value reached around USD 178 million. This is up nearly 40% in volume and 34% in value. The United States now accounts for more than 25% of Vietnam’s total pepper exports.
According to the International Trade Centre (ITC), in Q1 2026 the U.S. imported more than 21 thousand tons of pepper. Of this, nearly 17 thousand tons came from Vietnam, representing over 78% of the country’s import market share. The average import price into the U.S. also rose to around USD 7,600 per ton.
Beyond the U.S., China is also returning to the market at a very fast pace. VPSA said Exports of Vietnamese pepper to China in the first four months increased by more than 200% compared to the same period last year.
Vietnamese pepper bags
Experts say China’s import demand is likely to continue rising this year due to a large gap between domestic supply and demand. Each year, China consumes around 90,000–100,000 tons of pepper. However, domestic production only reaches about 30,000 tons.
Rising demand from the two major markets is helping domestic pepper prices remain above 140,000 VND/kg. The Agency of Foreign Trade forecasts that pepper prices may continue moving sideways at a high level or even increase in the coming months. This could push prices to 150,000–160,000 VND/kg as businesses ramp up procurement for the Q4 export season.
In the Central Highlands, many farmers report that pepper prices are still generating good profits despite market fluctuations caused by geopolitical tensions. In several intercropping areas with coffee in Lâm Đồng, pepper continues to contribute significant income thanks to high prices and stable yields.