Although Vietnam is known as a major exporter of meat and by-products, the country still relies on meat imports. According to the Import-Export Department, in 2024, pork imports reached a record high, with nearly 900,000 tons of meat and meat products.
According to the Export and Import Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), in 2024, Vietnam imported 876.67 thousand tons of meat and meat products, valued at $1.78 billion, marking an increase of 15.2% in volume and 18.1% in value compared to 2023.
India remains the largest supplier of meat and meat products to Vietnam, accounting for 22.14% of the country's total meat imports, with 194.06 thousand tons valued at $644.91 million, representing a 9.9% increase in volume and a 23% increase in value compared to 2022.
Vietnam’s meat and meat product imports from various markets also continued to grow in both volume and value in 2024 compared to 2023, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Poland, South Korea, the Netherlands, Argentina, Hong Kong (China), Iran, Italy, Japan, Turkey, Belgium, New Zealand, France, and the United Arab Emirates. However, imports from some major suppliers, such as Russia, Brazil, Spain, and Denmark, saw a decline in 2024.
In 2024, Vietnam primarily imported various types of meat, including edible by-products after slaughter, fresh, chilled, or frozen poultry meat, fresh frozen buffalo meat, chilled or frozen edible by-products of pigs, buffalo, and cattle, fresh or chilled frozen pork, and fresh or chilled frozen beef. Among these categories, import volumes increased across the board, except for fresh chilled pork imports, which declined in both volume and value compared to 2023.
Specifically, Vietnam’s fresh chilled or frozen pork imports in 2024 reached 109.8 thousand tons, valued at $257.29 million, marking an 8.9% decrease in volume and a 12.2% decrease in value compared to 2023. The average import price of fresh chilled or frozen pork in Vietnam was $2,338 per ton, down 3.7% from 2023.
In 2024, Vietnam imported pork from approximately 43 markets worldwide, with Brazil supplying 39.95% of total pork imports, followed by Russia (30.33%), Canada (6.35%), Germany (6.04%), the Netherlands (3.89%), and other markets (13.45%).
The signing and implementation of multiple free trade agreements (FTAs) in recent years have facilitated the acceleration of meat imports into Vietnam.
As import tariffs gradually decrease according to the agreements' schedules, imported meat prices have become more competitive, encouraging many trading enterprises to increase imports for domestic supply.
Vietnam's meat import expenditure has grown steadily over the years. Currently, the country ranks among the top 10 pork-consuming nations worldwide. According to estimates by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Vietnam’s pork production is expected to reach 4 million tons by 2025 and 4.7 million tons by 2030, with an average annual growth rate of 3.1%.
However, the influx of imported meat has created significant competitive pressure on the domestic livestock industry.
(According to Doanh nghiep & Tiep thi)
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