Vietnam's agro‑forestry‑aquatic exports rise 9% in first five months

Vietnam’s agro‑forestry‑aquatic sector recorded exports of $30.69 billion in the first five months of 2026, a 9.2 % year‑on‑year increase and generating a trade surplus of $8.41 billion. Agricultural products contributed $16.38 billion, forestry $7.65 billion and aquatic products $4.65 billion. China remained the top destination with a 20.5 % market share and a 28.4 % growth rate, while the United States accounted for 18.5 % of exports but fell 3.6 % in value. The European Union and Japan together represented 11.8 % and 6.8 % of sales, rising 4.2 % and 3.5 % respectively.

Domestic production also expanded: winter‑spring rice area grew to 2.98 million ha, yielding an estimated 13.96 million tonnes; summer‑autumn rice covered 1.29 million ha, up 3 %. Pig and poultry herds increased by 3.7 %, while cattle and buffalo numbers fell. Newly planted forests reached 101,400 ha, and timber output rose to 8.7 million m³. Aquaculture output was 2.3 million tonnes, up 5 %, supporting overall sector growth.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment highlighted favourable production conditions and strong export demand, projecting continued growth for 2026.