Livestock product exports exceed target in 2025

Livestock product exports exceed target in 2025

Việt Nam's livestock product export revenue reached US$628 million in 2025, marking a 17.4 per cent increase compared to 2024. This figure exceeded the ministry's target of $550 million.

A packaging line of chilled pork in a company located in HCM City. Việt Nam's exports of frozen pork, piglets, and weaned pigs valued at $63.5 million in 2025. — VNA/VNS Photo

Livestock product export revenue reached US$628 million in 2025, marking a 17.4 per cent increase compared to 2024.

This figure was released at a conference reviewing works in 2025 and plans for 2026 by the Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment held on January 21 in Hà Nội.

The country's livestock product exports in 2025 at $628 million exceeded the ministry's target of $550 million, said the department's Deputy Director Phạm Kim Đăng.

According to AgroMonitor, as of December 23, 2025, Việt Nam had exported 1,400 breeding pigs to Laos and Cambodia, generating approximately $920,000 in revenue.

While the volume decreased by 17 per cent, the value surged by 40 per cent, reflecting the increasing recognition of the quality and value-added nature of Vietnamese livestock.

Notably, exports of frozen pork, piglets and weaned pigs valued at $63.5 million, a 12 per cent increase from the previous year. Exports of live buffalo and cattle also reached over $37.2 million, a 12 per cent increase.

In the poultry sector, the export volume of breeding chickens surpassed 14 million, an increase of 138.1 per cent. This includes egg-laying chickens, white chickens and coloured chickens.

Meanwhile, poultry egg exports reached about $1.4 million, a 38 per cent decrease compared to the previous year.

Animal feed and raw materials continued to be a major highlight, with export revenues in 2025 estimated to reach $1.6 billion, marking a 45 per cent increase compared to 2024.

Along with export growth, international cooperation and trade promotion in the livestock and veterinary sectors were significantly enhanced.

In 2025, significant progress was made in technical negotiations and market opening for livestock products, creating a foundation for facilitating official exports.

Regarding bird's nest and bird’s nest products, Việt Nam completed negotiations and signed an export protocol with China on April 15, 2025. A protocol implementation conference was held on May 8, 2025, to guide businesses on how to implement the agreement.

By 2025, authorities had reviewed and verified 34 enterprise registrations for exporting bird’s nests to China. Of which, 15 enterprises have been approved by China and online inspections of the remaining three are underway.

A packaging line of chilled pork in a company located in HCM City. Việt Nam's exports of frozen pork, piglets, and weaned pigs valued at $63.5 million in 2025. — VNA/VNS Photo

For poultry meat and eggs, the country successfully negotiated the opening of the processed poultry meat market in May 2025. Authorities are now working with Singapore to open the market for fresh and frozen poultry meat and eggs.

Meanwhile, the national registration for exporting poultry meat to China has been completed, and steps are being taken to implement the next stages of the risk assessment process.

Notably, in December 2025, Việt Nam finalised negotiations and welcomed a delegation from South Korea to conduct an on-site inspection, the final step before opening the processed poultry meat market.

In terms of milk and dairy products, it successfully negotiated exports to Singapore starting in November 2025 and extended export licences for ten dairy processing plants to Chinese market.

The review of the export registration documents for dairy products to Japan has been completed, and both parties are now exchanging samples of export health certificates.

Additionally, the national registration dossier for dairy products is being updated to facilitate market access to Malaysia and Indonesia.

For monkeys and crocodiles, discussions and official notes are being prepared for senior ministry officials to meet with their Chinese counterparts regarding exemption of the registration process on exporting live monkeys and crocodiles, and the Salmonella testing requirement for crocodiles.

Expanding export markets

Looking ahead to 2026, the livestock sector will focus on expanding export markets, considering this as a critical driver for growth and increasing added value to livestock products.

The sector will continue to encourage and support businesses in enhancing production capacity, expanding output, and diversifying exports into markets that have been opened, including Japan, Russia, the Eurasian Economic Union, Hong Kong (China), Singapore and China.

Simultaneously, leveraging free trade agreements (FTAs) such as the EVFTA, CPTPP and RCEP will be a key strategy to boost efforts in seeking and negotiating with new markets.

Special focus will be placed on products with competitive advantages, such as bird’s nests and related products, honey and processed poultry products.

Particularly, the livestock sector will accelerate the development of disease-free zones and facilities, considering these as essential conditions for sustainable export expansion.

The primary focus will be on regions and facilities covered by the memorandum of understanding on disease safety between Việt Nam and China, laying the groundwork to boost exports of animals and animal products to potential, high-demand markets such as China, South Korea, the EU and Islamic and Middle Eastern countries. 

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