According to preliminary data from the General Department of Customs, as of November 15, Vietnam had exported nearly 1.35 million tons of coffee, earning $7.64 billion.

Although the export volume rose just 15.4% year-on-year, the export value jumped 62.6%.

Remarkably, with more than a month left in the year, coffee export turnover has already surpassed the previous all-time high of $5.62 billion in 2024.

At the same time, cashew exports brought in $4.51 billion  -  up 19.3% from the same period last year  -  officially breaking the 2024 record of $4.34 billion.

In the first half of November alone, Vietnamese businesses exported over 8,200 tons of pepper, earning nearly $53 million.

By mid-November 2025, the country had exported approximately 213,400 tons of pepper, valued at $1.44 billion  -  exceeding the previous record of $1.43 billion set in 2016.

Pepper shines as prices spike

Speaking with VietNamNet, Hoang Phuoc Binh, a leading expert in the pepper sector, explained that Vietnam’s record-breaking pepper exports were driven by soaring prices.

He emphasized that pepper  -  often called Vietnam’s “black gold”  -  is enjoying a golden era.

Prices have surged amid falling global supply and sustained international demand.

Vietnam remains one of the world’s top pepper exporters. However, in recent years, declining prices forced many small farmers to abandon pepper cultivation, switching instead to higher-income crops such as coffee and durian.

The resulting drop in Vietnam’s domestic supply has helped drive up global pepper prices, creating favorable conditions for exporters.

According to Binh, this price cycle could last more than a decade. He predicts that domestic pepper prices could hit 200,000 VND/kg (approximately $8.20/kg) in the coming year.

Coffee: quality, strategy, and supply

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Photo: Nguyen Hue

For coffee, Thai Nhu Hiep, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association, noted that this year’s impressive export gains came from three factors: improved product quality, increased proportion of processed coffee, and strategic market expansion.

Before 2020, low coffee prices led many farmers to switch crops, which in turn reduced supply.

Now, with demand rebounding and supply tightening, prices have surged.

According to Hiep, both businesses and farmers have significantly shifted toward sustainable coffee farming and production, aligning with the standards of key export markets such as the European Union.

This has created a “responsible coffee ecosystem,” connecting everything from production and processing to global market demands.

Cashew demand grows across major markets

Similarly, according to the Vietnam Cashew Association, the industry’s new export record is being driven by strong demand for nuts  -  especially cashew  -  in key markets such as the U.S., EU, and China.

Other markets, including Germany, the UAE, and the U.K., have also posted strong growth.

This diversification is helping reduce reliance on traditional markets, providing a more sustainable foundation for the cashew industry in an uncertain global trade environment.

The association added that stable prices, robust order volumes, and a recovering global appetite for cashew products are creating ideal export conditions for Vietnamese businesses.

Forecasts for 2025: new highs across the board

Industry groups now project that:

Coffee exports will exceed $8 billion
Cashew exports will reach $5 billion
Pepper exports will hit $1.5 billion

These figures underline a historic year for Vietnamese agriculture, as global demand, pricing trends, and strategic industry shifts align to produce record-breaking results.

Tam An