HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam shipped US$6.28 billion worth of agro-forestry-fishery products abroad in May, propelling the cumulative total for the first five months of the year to $28.04 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19.6 per cent and 15.1 per cent, respectively, heard a press conference in Hà Nội on June 3.

Breaking down the figures, agricultural products accounted for $15.29 billion, up 16.3 per cent while livestock products totalled $217.2 milion, an 11.7 per cent increase. Meanwhile, aquatic products grew by 15.1 per cent to $4.11 billion and forestry products 11.7 per cent to $7.48 billion.

Coffee stood out as a flagship export commodity, with 835,900 tonnes of the item sold abroad during the five–month span, a slight increase of 0.9 per cent in volume but a remarkable jump of 65.1 per cent jump in value as compared to the same time last year. The average export price surged 63.7 per cent to over $5,700.

Rubber, cashew, and pepper exports also posted double-digit growth of 18.2 per cent, 14.2 per cent, and 13.6 per cent to $1.02 billion, $1.8 billion, and $684.4 million, respectively.

Rice exports hit 4.5 million tonnes worth $2.34 billion, a 12.2 per cent increase in volume but an 8.9 per cent decline in value compared to 2024. Average rice prices dropped 18.7 per cent to $516 per tonne. The Philippines was Việt Nam's largest rice customer with a 41.4 per cent market share, followed by Ivory Coast at 11.9 per cent and China at 10.3 per cent.

Meanwhile, fruit and vegetable exports saw a 16 per cent decrease in value to $2.24 billion. China remained the dominant market for the products, accounting for 46.1 per cent of export value; however, exports to China dropped 32.8 per cent year-on-year.

Geographically, Asia continues to dominate Việt Nam’s agricultural export landscape, accounting for 42 per cent, followed by the Americas and Europe with 23 per cent and 16.1 per cent. Africa and Oceania represented small shares of 3.3 and 1.3 per cent.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phùng Đức Tiến said while restructuring in the sector has laid a solid foundation for growth, Việt Nam has yet to reach its peak potential. Against the backdrop, the ministry is advocating further economic reform and proposing amendments to several legal documents regarding power delegation and decentralisation, and administrative reform, creating motives to complete export targets.

Competent agencies are handling market access issues to facilitate agricultural and aquatic product exports to key markets including China, the US, Japan, and the EU, while exploring new markets like Halal-certified countries, the Middle East, and Africa.

Tiến said the ministry has kept close tabs on prices and supply of essential food while coordinating with provinces to enhance processing and consumption of agricultural products. Due attention has been paid to popularising market information and consumer taste through trade offices in foreign countries as well as e-commerce platforms, particularly during the harvest seasons of several staples like lychee, longan, and durian. — VNS