Goods imported from the US to Vietnam have increased sharply.

Imports of goods from the US to Vietnam increased sharply by nearly 24% in the first three quarters of the year. Importers predict that imports of fruits and raw materials for production will increase significantly in the last quarter of the year.

Báo Thanh niên•25/10/2025

Businesses are accelerating the import of raw materials from the US.

Ms. Dam Thu Van, a fruit importer in Ho Chi Minh City, said that popular imported fruits from the US such as apples, grapes, cherries, and blood oranges have steadily increased since the beginning of the year. Especially during the apple and orange season in the US, her company's import spending on these items increased by up to 50%, even though imports of fruits and vegetables in general decreased by 18%. "American fruits, vegetables, and agricultural products in general are always attractive to Vietnamese consumers due to their quality and price. From now until the end of the year, the US will enter the seedless grape season, and my company's imports will certainly increase sharply again," Ms. Van said.

Imports of fruits and vegetables from the US to Vietnam have increased sharply.

PHOTO: NGOC DUONG

However, the raw materials imported from the US are the breakthrough sector. The US consistently maintains its position as the largest supplier of cotton, accounting for 49% of Vietnam's total cotton imports. According to the Customs Department, in September alone, the country imported over 102,000 tons of cotton, worth $166 million. In the first nine months of the year, Vietnam imported over 1.3 million tons of various types of cotton, worth $2.2 billion, an increase of 19% in volume and 3% in value compared to the same period in 2024. Similarly, soybean imports from the US recorded strong growth. Currently, the US is the second largest market (after Brazil) supplying soybeans to Vietnam. We spent nearly $301.5 million to purchase 667,211 tons of soybeans from the US, accounting for 33.3% of the country's total soybean import value, an increase of 29.6% in volume and 9.4% in value. Earlier in June, the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Environment signed eight memorandums of understanding for the import of agricultural products from the United States, totaling nearly $3 billion. The largest agreement was a memorandum of understanding signed between Khai Anh Binh Thuan Joint Stock Company and Cargill Corporation (USA), valued at $380 million. The Vietnamese company committed to importing 1.2 million tons of grains for animal feed, including corn, wheat, and soybean meal, from the United States.

Mr. Tran Thanh Phong, Director of Thien But Production - Trading - Service Co., Ltd., who participated in signing the agreement between Thien But and Lamex Food Group and Niceland Foods, said: Since Vietnam signed the memorandum of understanding with the US, the volume of agricultural product imports from that country has increased sharply. The amount of frozen beef, pork, and chicken imported from the US by the company in the past nine months increased by 30% compared to the same period last year. "The import tax on frozen chicken thighs from the US is currently about 15%, while the import tax on the same product from Australia and South Korea is 0%. In the future, if the import tax on chicken thighs from the US is only 5%, many businesses will certainly shift to importing more from the US market. From now until the end of the year, the company will focus on purchasing soybeans...", Mr. Phong said.

Targeting high-tech American products.

According to Customs data, in the first nine months of the year, Vietnam's imports of goods from the US reached $13.7 billion, a 23.6% increase compared to the same period last year. Besides agricultural products, machinery, medical equipment, and high-tech goods are increasingly sought after and imported by Vietnamese businesses. Nguyen Ly Truong An, Deputy Director of SeaAir Global, a trade and logistics expert, commented that US logistics technology is among the leading sectors. Given Vietnam's efforts to modernize its logistics and improve its capabilities, increased imports of US-based technologies in this sector are inevitable. Mr. Truong An also noted that the US is Vietnam's largest consumer market and a crucial, diverse, and potentially lucrative export market. Therefore, there is no reason not to seek opportunities to increase purchases from the US to strengthen trade connections and foster better understanding.

During a meeting with US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper on October 23rd, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that Vietnam will continue to increase its purchases of US goods, especially high-tech items such as aircraft and semiconductors, expanding the market for US goods and creating favorable conditions for US businesses to operate effectively in Vietnam. The Deputy Prime Minister also requested that the US continue to consider the specific characteristics of the Vietnamese economy during negotiations on the reciprocal tariff agreement between the two countries. Ambassador Knapper affirmed that the US hopes both sides will soon complete negotiations to implement the reciprocal tariff agreement; and particularly emphasizes promoting exchanges of delegations and contacts at all levels, including high-level ones, to maintain the substantive and positive development of relations between the two countries.

Sharing the same view, Professor Vo Xuan Vinh, Director of the Institute for Business Research, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, commented that data shows that imports from the US to Vietnam are increasing very well, in line with the expectations of both countries in their efforts to narrow the trade gap. In reality, Vietnamese imports from the US have long consisted of two basic groups: agricultural products and consumer goods and raw materials for production, processing, and manufacturing. In these two groups, US products are of good quality and meet high safety standards. In particular, the prices of US goods are becoming increasingly cheaper thanks to reduced or zero tariffs. The strong increase in agricultural imports from the US in recent times is a result of reduced tariffs and better prices. However, for high-tech products, the demand in the Vietnamese market is very large, and perhaps the limited time for market research has prevented a sudden surge in this sector.

Professor Vinh said: "Given the urgent need for growth and the acceleration of scientific and technological development, with strong participation from the private sector... it is hoped that imports from the US of raw materials, machinery, and scientific and technological products, especially semiconductors, to serve Vietnam 's production and development will increase significantly. In my opinion, if we skillfully utilize good technologies, the process of technological transformation and improvement of production processes... of Vietnamese businesses will take place faster and more effectively thanks to high technology from the US. This will contribute to narrowing the bilateral trade balance and moving towards sustainable development based on the principle of mutual benefit," Professor Vo Xuan Vinh shared.