Foreign trade climbs 23% to nearly $250 billion in Q1

Foreign trade climbs 23% to nearly $250 billion in Q1

The sum consists of US$122.93 billion in exports and 126.57 in imports, respectively increasing 19.1 per cent and 27 per cent.

Containers of goods at Tân Vũ Port, Hải Phòng city. — VNA/VNS Photo

Total export and import turnover reached US$249.5 billion during the first quarter of 2026, up 23 per cent from a year earlier, the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance reported on April 4.

The sum consists of $122.93 billion in exports and 126.57 in imports, respectively increasing 19.1 per cent and 27 per cent. That resulted in a trade deficit of 3.64 billion, compared to a surplus of $3.57 billion recorded in the same period last year.

During the first three months, domestic enterprises posted $24.47 billion in exports, falling 16.6 per cent and accounting for 19.9 per cent of total overseas shipments, while foreign-invested firms reported $98.46 billion (including crude oil), up 33.3 per cent and making up 80.1 per cent.

Twenty product categories achieved export revenue of over $1 billion each, accounting for 86.8 per cent of the total exports. Among them, five surpassed $5 billion, accounting for 62.4 per cent.

Processed industrial goods raked in $110.52 billion, equivalent to 89.9 per cent of the total; agricultural and forestry products $9.34 billion, 7.6 per cent; aquatic products $2.64 billion, 2.2 per cent; and fuel and mineral products $0.43 billion, 0.3 per cent.

In Q1, 22 imported items reached a value exceeding $1 billion each, making up 82.8 per cent of total import turnover (with two items worth more than $5 billion each, accounting for 49.8 per cent).

Regarding the structure of imports, production materials were valued at $118.84 billion, representing 93.9 per cent. Among them, machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts accounted for 55.3 per cent; raw materials and fuels 38.6 per cent; and consumer goods 6.1 per cent.

Domestic businesses imported $35.2 billion worth of goods during the first three months, down 4.3 per cent, while foreign-invested companies $91.37 billion, up 45.3 per cent.

In March alone, exports and imports totalled $93.55 billion, increasing 39.2 per cent from the previous month and 23.9 per cent from the same period last year.

Last month’s overseas shipments reached $46.44 billion, climbing 40.3 per cent month on month. Of this, domestic firms recorded $8.96 billion, up 39.2 per cent from February, and the foreign-invested sector $37.48 billion (including crude oil), up 40.6 per cent.

Compared to the same period last year, the export value in March went up 20.1 per cent, with that of the domestic sector decreasing 20.1 per cent and the foreign-invested one (including crude oil) rising 36.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, imports last month were estimated at $47.11 billion, a month-on-month increase of 38.2 per cent. That led to a trade deficit of $0.67 billion in March, statistics show. 

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