Philippines remains top buyer of Vietnamese rice in H1
The Philippines remained Vietnam’s top rice buyer in the first half of 2025, accounting for 43.3% of exports, despite a 17.4% drop in value.
THE HANOI TIMES — The Philippines was Vietnam's largest rice buyer in the first half of 2025, purchasing 43% of its total rice exports, according to Vietnam's General Department of Customs.
From January to June, Vietnam exported 4.9 million tons of rice worth US$2.54 billion, representing a 7.6% increase in volume but a 12.2% decrease in value compared to the same period in 2024.
Rice is one of Vietnam’s key export products, renowned for its high quality, competitive prices, and stable supply.
The Ivory Coast and Ghana followed the Philippines as Vietnam’s second- and third-largest rice importers, accounting for 10.7% and 10.5%, respectively, of total rice exports.
Exports to the Ivory Coast surged by 88.6%, while exports to Ghana increased by 61.4%.
Among Vietnam’s top 15 rice export markets, Bangladesh posted the highest growth, with export value skyrocketing 293-fold year over year.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment aims to export $5.7 billion worth of rice products this year, expecting $2.6 billion in the first half and $3.1 billion in the second.
To meet its targets, the ministry recommends maintaining Vietnam’s current market share while capitalizing on opportunities to expand fragrant rice exports to the US, where Thailand and India face high tariffs of 36% and 26%, respectively.
In addition to maintaining a presence in traditional markets such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, Vietnam aims to diversify its supply chain and explore new export destinations.
