Coffee, cashews, rice, pepper, dried fruits, alongside numerous Vietnamese farm commodities and processed foods, are appearing with increasing frequency across the Russian market.

Vietnamese goods make wider inroads into the Russian market

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, from September 15 to 18, more than 30 Vietnamese enterprises participated in the WorldFood Moscow 2026 International Food and Drink Exhibition in Russia. Featured offerings centered on competitive staple lines such as coffee, cashew nuts, rice, pepper, fruits, beverages, and processed foods.

This year's WorldFood Moscow brought together 873 manufacturers and suppliers representing 30 countries. For Vietnamese businesses, the fair serves not merely as a showcase for products, but as an opportunity for direct engagement with Russian importers, distributors, and supermarket retail chains.

Bui Quang Hung, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade), noted that the exhibition provides a venue for Vietnamese enterprises to introduce goods and interface directly with major Russian importers, distributors, and global partners. Right from opening day, Vietnamese booths drew substantial visitor traffic seeking product information.

In practice, over the past few years, the footprint of Vietnamese goods in this destination has evolved noticeably. While 5 to 7 years ago Vietnamese-branded items rarely surfaced in major retail chains, Russian consumers can now readily find fruit juices, dried fruits, instant foods, and dipping sauces on store shelves.

This shift has mirrored the upward trajectory of agriculture, forestry, and fishery shipments to Russia. Specifically, in 2025, export turnover for this commodity group reached approximately USD 922 million, climbing more than 20% compared to 2024 and standing 2.2 times higher than the 2020 level. In the first six months of 2026, exports continued to advance by roughly 7% year-on-year.

Another catalyst is the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (VN-EAEU FTA). Under its framework, approximately 90% of tariff lines on Vietnamese merchandise have been phased out or reduced to low levels, creating additional headroom for enterprises to penetrate the market.

Positive signals across core product groups

The expanding footprint of Vietnamese agricultural produce in Russia is further corroborated by trade data from the first eight months of 2026. According to the Customs Department (Ministry of Finance), Vietnam’s coffee exports to Russia reached USD 332.25 million during this period, edging up roughly 1.1% compared to the same period in 2025.

Notably, fruit and vegetable exports hit USD 65.88 million, surging 39.4%. Several other sectors maintained solid growth: seafood reached USD 154.91 million, up 13.2%; tea generated USD 8.07 million, up 14.8%; and rice yielded USD 2.89 million, up 9.6%. Confectionery and cereal products brought in nearly USD 16.99 million, up approximately 26.4%.

Maksim Shilov, Director of WorldFood Moscow at ITE Group, assessed that cooperative relations with Vietnamese partners hold significant development potential, and business-matching initiatives like WorldFood Moscow can actively propel bilateral trade.

This potential aligns with the broader expansion of Vietnam–Russia trade relations. Between 2016 and 2024, bilateral two-way trade expanded at an average annual clip of 10.8%, rising from USD 2.74 billion to USD 4.58 billion. In 2025, two-way turnover reached USD 4.77 billion; in the first seven months of 2026 alone, it stood at USD 3.24 billion, up 12% year-on-year. Vietnam currently ranks as Russia’s largest trading partner within ASEAN.

Both nations are targeting an expansion of bilateral trade turnover to USD 15 billion. Consequently, sustaining in-person trade promotion activities in Russia not only helps Vietnamese businesses secure partners, but also allows them to grasp consumer trends and optimize opportunities under the VN-EAEU FTA.

Fresh fruit still faces access hurdles in Russia

Dang Phuc Nguyen, Secretary-General of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, pointed out that while market headroom for fresh fruits such as bananas and pomelos in Russia remains substantial, exports currently confront two primary bottlenecks: logistics and payments.

On the transport front, fresh produce must primarily rely on air freight to preserve quality, driving up retail prices and undermining competitiveness. Conversely, ocean freight often requires transshipment stops before reaching Russia, extending transit times and elevating spoilage risks.

Alongside logistics, payment processing remains a key concern for enterprises dealing with the Russian market. Transactions in US dollars face hurdles, while fluctuations in the Russian ruble exchange rate complicate cost calculations and profit margins.

According to Nguyen, several enterprises have explored countertrade arrangements to mitigate payment risks.

He stressed that expanding agricultural exports—particularly fresh fruits—to Russia in the coming period requires smoother mechanisms for both transportation and payment clearance. Once these two bottlenecks are resolved, the capability to tap Russian consumer demand for Vietnamese fruits will expand significantly.

Source: Tap chi dien tu Nong thon Viet