Vietnam's exports of coffee and other key items saw strong growth in the first two months, creating favorable conditions for the agricultural sector to exceed its target of US$64-65 billion and strive for $70 billion for agroforestry and fisheries exports this year.

Speaking to the press on Monday, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien announced that agricultural, forestry, and fisheries exports in February reached $4.4 billion, a 37-percent increase year on year.

As a result, total exports for the first two months of the year amounted to $9.38 billion, up more than eight percent from a year earlier.

Prominent among the key commodities, coffee exports fetched $1.58 billion, a 26-percent rise in value despite a 28-percent decline in volume, with an average export price in January-February hitting $5,574.5 per tonne, a spike of 76 percent from the same period last year.

Germany, Italy, and Japan are the three largest markets for Vietnamese coffee, accounting for market shares of 16.6 percent, 9.4 percent, and 8.2 percent, respectively.

In January, coffee export earnings increased year on year by 53 percent from Germany, 5.6 percent from Italy, and 10.4 percent from Japan.

“Similarly, exports of pepper, seafood, wood and wood products, and rubber over the past two months have all registered significant growth compared to last year,” Tien said.

This year, coffee shipments are projected to reach $6 billion, surpassing the 2024 record of $5.62 billion.

However, Deputy Minister Tien pointed out that the export value of fruits and rice declined by 11 percent and 13 percent, respectively, year on year in January-February.

The average export price of rice in February was $553 per metric ton, which was lower than that of the same period last year but has started to rise again since early March.

“This year, we expect to export around nine million tonnes of rice and will actively seek new markets to compensate for declines in existing ones, ensuring a stable export volume and value," Tien stated.

The ministry will take all possible measures to achieve this year’s agroforestry and fisheries export target of $64-65 billion, with the potential to reach $70 billion, well above the $62.4 billion recorded in 2024, the official affirmed.

Tien emphasized that from the beginning of the year, the ministry has recognized the challenges posed by potential trade wars, particularly with U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies focusing on protecting the domestic market and influencing trade with China and several other countries.

"Currently, U.S.-Ukraine-Europe relations are a hot issue, and they also affect Vietnam's agricultural, forestry, and fisheries exports. Moreover, Vietnam enjoys a trade surplus with the U.S., which could present future challenges in bilateral trade relations," Tien commented.

Faced with these challenges, the ministry will closely monitor global trends and implement appropriate strategies to ensure exports meet the set target, he affirmed.

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