China has regained its position as the largest export market for Vietnam’s agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector in the first quarter of this year, surpassing the United States in share, as multiple key product groups recorded strong growth in exports to the neighboring market.

According to a report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, export turnover of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries products in the first three months reached USD 16.69 billion, up 5.9% year-on-year. China accounted for 22.1% of total exports, overtaking the United States (18.3%) and Japan (7.1%) to officially become the largest market.

Notably, exports to China surged by 37.6%, the highest growth rate among major markets. This momentum was not driven by a single commodity but by broad-based growth across key sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, and forestry products.

Rice recorded the most significant breakthrough, with export value to China increasing 2.5 times, as the country boosted imports to strengthen food security. This factor strongly contributed to the overall export performance in the first quarter.

Coffee also showed notable developments. Although the average export price declined by 16.9% overall, export value to China doubled, reflecting rapidly expanding consumption trends in this market.

In the fruit and vegetable segment, China remained the largest destination, accounting for approximately 54% of total market share. Export value to China increased by 76.2%, with key products such as durian, jackfruit, and tropical fruits leveraging geographical advantages and strong demand.

Fisheries exports also accelerated, with shipments to China rising by 58.5%. Meanwhile, wood and wood products increased by 48.5%, helping offset declines in the U.S. market. Other products such as cashew nuts grew by 23.7%, while cassava and cassava-based products rose by 15.1%, further reinforcing China’s role in Vietnam’s export structure.

Overall, Asia remained the largest consumption region, accounting for 45.1% of Vietnam’s total agriculture, forestry, and fisheries exports, reflecting a shift toward geographically closer markets with lower logistics costs.

On the import side, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries imports reached USD 11.91 billion, up 3.6%. As a result, the sector maintained a trade surplus of USD 4.78 billion, an increase of 12% year-on-year. Major contributors to the surplus included forestry products (USD 3.32 billion), fisheries (USD 1.87 billion), and agricultural products (USD 1.31 billion).

China’s return as the leading market opens up significant growth opportunities but also raises familiar concerns regarding market dependency. As technical standards and import policies in this market become increasingly stringent, the challenge is not only to increase output but also to enhance quality and ensure supply chain stability.

Source: Kinh te Sai Gon Online