Green pomelos packed for export. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Nhung

HÀ NỘI — The agricultural, forestry and fisheries sector posted a US$ 5.18 billion trade surplus in the first four months of 2025, a year‑on‑year drop of 4.1 per cent, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoAE) announced on Monday.

Exports reached $21.15 billion while imports stood at $15.97 billion during the period, reported Trần Gia Long, deputy director of the ministry’s Planning and Finance Department.

In April alone, export revenue rose by 5.4 per cent to $5.47 billion. By category, agricultural products brought home $3.1 billion (up 11.6 per cent), forestry products $1.36 billion (down 6.6 per cent), fisheries $774 million (down 0.2 per cent), and livestock $50.2 million (up 20 per cent).

Over four months, all major export groups grew to total $21.15 billion, increasing by 10.7 per cent. That consisted of $11.6 billion in agricultural products (up 11.7 per cent), $5.56 billion in forestry products (up 11.2 per cent), $3.09 billion in aquatic products (up 13.7 per cent), and $178 million in livestock products (up 16.8 per cent).

Six commodities recorded more than $1 billion in value, led by wood and wood products at $5.2 billion (up 5.8 per cent), coffee at $3.78 billion (up 51.1 per cent), and shrimp at $1.24 billion (up 28.4 per cent). By contrast, rice exports fell 14.3 per cent to $1.75 billion while fruit and vegetable shipments declined 14.2 per cent to $1.62 billion.

By region, exports to the Americas reached $4.83 billion (up 12.6 per cent), Europe $3.48 billion (up 37.7 per cent), and Africa $648 million (up 78.4 per cent). Shipments to Asia fell 1.3 per cent to $8.82 billion, and to Oceania down 2.6 per cent to $263 million. The US, China and Japan remained the top three markets of agro-forestry-fishery products from Việt Nam.

The MoAE said it was working with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and other agencies to refine policies and roll out measures to boost trade, including drafting e‑commerce regulations and detailing rules of origin under the Foreign Trade Management Law.

It was also organising trade missions to the UK and Germany, guiding production planning, expediting shipments, and addressing food‑safety incidents, shipment warnings and technical barriers in import markets. — VNA/VNS