According to preliminary statistics from the Customs Department, imports of meat and meat products in April were estimated at USD276 million, up slightly by 1.3% compared with the previous month.

However, total imports during the first four months of 2026 reached USD928.8 million, marking a sharp 37.6% increase compared with the same period last year.

Of the total, imports of pork and pork products alone amounted to USD163.2 million, accounting for 17.6% of the country’s total meat and meat-product imports.

Imported fresh and frozen products mainly included poultry, buffalo meat, pork, beef, edible slaughter by-products from pigs and cattle, along with other processed meat products.

Vietnam primarily sourced these imports from Russia, Brazil, Spain and Germany.

The surge in meat imports comes as domestic pork prices remain elevated while industrial chicken prices have fallen sharply.

A report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment showed that live hog prices in northern Vietnam rose by VND1,800 per kilogram in April compared with March, reaching VND64,000-66,000 (USD2.47-2.55) per kilogram.

In the central and Central Highlands regions, live hog prices increased by VND1,600 per kilogram to between VND63,000 and VND69,000 (USD2.43-2.66) per kilogram.

Southern Vietnam recorded the highest increase, with prices climbing by VND2,200 per kilogram to VND68,000-69,000 (USD2.62-2.66) per kilogram.

Meanwhile, poultry prices showed mixed trends across regions.

Prices for colored-feather chicken in northern Vietnam fell by VND2,200 per kilogram to VND48,000 (USD1.85) per kilogram.

In central Vietnam, prices dropped by VND4,500 per kilogram to VND43,000 (USD1.66), while southern prices edged down by VND300 to VND45,000 (USD1.74) per kilogram.

Industrial chicken prices in northern Vietnam plunged by VND9,000 per kilogram to just VND19,000 (USD0.73) per kilogram.

By contrast, industrial chicken prices in central Vietnam increased by VND5,000 to VND27,000 (USD1.04) per kilogram, while southern prices rose by VND2,000 to VND29,000 (USD1.12) per kilogram.

Tam An