Agro-forestry-fishery sector posts trade surplus of over 12 bln USD in 2023
Vietnam’s agro-forestry-aquatic exports enjoyed a record trade surplus of 12.07 billion USD in 2023, surging by 43.7%, and accounting for over 42.5% of the country's total trade surplus, heard a press conference in Hanoi on December 29.
Vietnam’s agro-forestry-aquatic product exports enjoy a record trade surplus of 12.07 billion USD in 2023. (Photo: vneconomy.vn)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’sagro-forestry-aquatic product exports enjoyed a record trade surplus of 12.07 billionUSD in 2023, surging by 43.7%, and accounting for over 42.5% of the country's totaltrade surplus, heard a press conference in Hanoi on December 29.
The country earned 53.01 billion USD fromagro-forestry-aquatic exports in the year. Notably, some items witnessed record high export turnover, including fruits and vegetables with 5.69 billion USD (up 69.2%), and rice,4.78 billion USD (up 38.4%).
Four other exports bringing home over 3 billion USD were cashew nuts (3.63billion USD), coffee (4.18 billion USD), shrimp (3.38 billion USD), and woodand wooden products (13.37 billion USD).
The country shipped approximately 2.25 billion USD worth of durian products overseas in 2023, five times higher than the 2022 figure.
Dinh Vu port in coastal city of Hai Phong. (Photo: VNA)
Agriculture continued to affirm its important position as a pillar of theeconomy, contributing to firmly ensuring food security, major balances of the nationaleconomy and stablising macroeconomy.
Total rice output nationwide reached 43.4 million tonnes, up 1.7% from 2022. Meanwhile, the aquatic production totalled 9.3 million tonnes, risingby 2.9% year-on-year.
Vietnam's ST25 fragrant rice variety won the World's BestRice 2023 award for the second time.
According to Nguyen Van Viet, Director of thePlanning Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the forestry sector saw an important milestone as procedures weresuccessfully completed to transfer a reduced carbon emission volume of 10.3million tonnes to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) through theWorld Bank (WB). The deal, valued at 5 USD per tonne of CO2, amounts to 51.5million USD.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said that goodexport signals will create a premise for the agriculture sector to furtherfoster exports in 2024./.
With the recent permission from Chinese authorities, watermelon has become the next farm produce of Vietnam to be exported to China via the official channel.
The agricultural sector is speeding up restructuring towards a circular and green agriculture to adapt to the global green consumption trend, promote exports and join hands in realising the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, said authorities.
Export results in 2023 are believed to be a stepping stone for the rice sector to seek new markets, affirm the brand of Vietnamese rice, better guarantee national food security, and promote sustainable production and export in the time ahead.
The prices of Vietnamese coffee are forecast to continue to increase next year due to severe supply shortage, according to the Vietnam Coffee-Cocoa Association (Vicofa).
The new Government decree also simplifies loan procedures while expanding credit incentives to include organic and circular agriculture, allowing them to access preferential terms similar to those of high-tech and value-chain based agricultural production.
Developed with state-of-the-art infrastructure, the Da Nang FTZ is designed to become a leading regional economic centre and a strategic growth pole in Vietnam’s new development landscape.
The Binh Duong Association of Supporting Industries (BASI) is expected to promote the usage of domestically manufactured components while supporting businesses in accessing international markets, strengthening linkages, and promoting deeper integration into global supply chains.
PwC Vietnam forecasts a vibrant M&A market in Vietnam’s healthcare sector in 2025, driven by rising demand for high-quality medical services and a growing middle class. Pharmaceutical companies, private hospitals, and specialised medical facilities, particularly in ophthalmology and oncology, are predicted to be key targets for M&A.
The central province of Quang Nam is set to become a hub for the medicinal plant industry, with Ngoc Linh ginseng designated as the core crop, under the Prime Minister's decision issued earlier this year.
The North-South Expressway project is scheduled for completion by 2030, aiming to establish the groundwork for Vietnam’s modern railway industry and stimulate regional economic development, positioning the country for a significant economic leap in the era of national rise.
The probe, initiated on June 11 following a petition by the US Coalition for Fair Trade in Hardwood Plywood, targets products classified under HS Code 4412 and 9403 imported from China, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways was born as a perfect piece in Sun Group’s strategic vision to build a premium ecosystem of tourism, entertainment, real estate, and aviation. With a pioneering ambition, Sun PhuQuoc Airways is not just an airline, but a symbol of connection – bringing the world to Phu Quoc and taking Phu Quoc to the world.
A key change in the draft decree is a provision requiring bank transfers for gold transactions valued at 20 million VND (765 USD) and above, to enhance transparency and verify customer identities.
In the first four months of 2025, trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia surpassed 3 billion USD, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
On June 19 alone, a total of 2,005 trucks completed customs clearance at Lang Son’s border gates — the highest single-day figure ever recorded in the province. Of these, 634 carried exports and 1,371 imports.
The OECD Economic Surveys: Vietnam 2025 report focuses on analysing the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals, the impact of international integration on attracting foreign investment and trade, and the country’s prospects for developing a low-carbon economy.
Antoine Colin, Senior Vice President for Global Supply Chain Digital Transformation & Resilience at HP Inc., affirmed HP’s strategic commitment to building a supply chain and ecosystem in Vietnam and the region.
Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Trade Promotion Agency Bui Quang Hung emphasised that logistics has evolved from a technical function into a core capability for Vietnamese exporters to maintain their competitive advantage in the US market.
A trade official has suggested companies work closely with shipping lines, airlines, and freight forwarders to monitor routes, transit times, and potential surcharges while exploring broader cargo insurance to cover risks like war and terrorism.
In addition to institutional reform, the agency is also rolling out key solution groups to combat counterfeit goods, imitations, and intellectual property infringements in the digital environment.
The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK and TT Meridian, a local importer of Vietnamese fresh produce, aims to build a national lychee brand and encourage broader recognition of Vietnamese fruits in a competitive, high-end market.
The industry's performance has been powered by bold investments in modern production lines, enabling Vietnamese firms to produce complicated products which were exclusive to advanced economies.
Vietnam’s agro-forestry-aquatic product exports enjoy a record trade surplus of 12.07 billion USD in 2023. (Photo: vneconomy.vn) 
Dinh Vu port in coastal city of Hai Phong. (Photo: VNA) 
