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How to Export Food from Vietnam: Ultimate Guide 2025

Vietnam is a major player in global food exports, particularly known for its rice, coffee, seafood, and tropical fruits. These exports are driven by the country’s rich natural resources, favourable climate, and extensive agricultural industry. Food exports contribute significantly to Vietnam’s economy, providing income for farmers, creating jobs, and generating foreign exchange.

Furthermore, Vietnam’s food processing sector has grown rapidly in recent years due to rising consumer demand in Vietnam’s food and beverage industry including from the many cafes and restaurants in Vietnam. That said, as a leading global producer of rice, coffee, seafood, and fruits, much of its agricultural output is also processed for export markets.

As such, exporting food from Vietnam continues to be a cornerstone of the country’s economic development, as it leverages its agricultural strengths to serve a growing global demand. With this in mind, this article outlines the key regulations, processes, and means of exporting food from Vietnam to other parts of the world.

Using a local trading company

Firms that want a quick and easy solution to export food from Vietnam to other parts of the world may find engaging a local trading company the most effective way forward. This is a simple transaction whereby the local trading company takes care of the logistics from the farm gate or the factory floor to one of Vietnam’s many ports. This does, however, give firms little control over their exports while they are in Vietnam.

Finding a local trading company

Professional business matchmaking services in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are a dime a dozen. Most consultancies offer these services and can advise on the right local partner to assist in locating the right food products for a particular market as well as negotiate terms.

For firms that would like a little more control over their goods before they leave Vietnam, establishing a local presence is always an option too.

Establishing a trading company in Vietnam

Trading companies in Vietnam with foreign ownership are generally established as a limited liability company either as a wholly owned foreign enterprise or a joint venture with a Vietnamese partner. This article provides a broad overview of establishment procedures with a more thorough, detailed technical guide available here: How to Form a Company in Vietnam: Technical Guide

Wholly foreign-owned  trading companies in Vietnam

Establishing a wholly foreign-owned trading company in Vietnam offers foreign investors complete control over their business’s operations. However, this approach typically involves higher costs and can be a more time-consuming process.

Specifically, foreign entrepreneurs interested in setting up a wholly foreign-owned company must apply for an Investment Registration Certificate (IRC), a step not required when partnering with a local entity.

Joint venture trading companies in Vietnam

When foreign entrepreneurs opt to collaborate with a local partner, they are not required to obtain an Investment Registration Certificate. Instead, the Vietnamese partner establishes the company, and the foreign investor buys a share. This approach can significantly reduce both the initial setup expenses and the time needed to establish a trading company in Vietnam.

Transporting goods

Once you have established your trading company or find a trading company to work with in Vietnam, the next step is shipping your goods. If you’re using a local distributor, they will provide you with the delivery details and advise you on the best way to ship your goods. If you have set up your own trading company, however, then there are a number of means by which you can get your goods into Vietnam.

Airports

Airfreight is popular for high-value and perishable goods. Fresh fruits and vegetables or high-value foods can be most efficiently delivered via air freight from one of Vietnam’s many international airports. Most international logistics companies service Vietnam–DHL and FedEx, for example. These companies usually fly to the big cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, however, they may also sometimes fly to regional airports if demand warrants it and facilities can accommodate international air freight.

Seaports

For non-perishable items, or bulky low-value items, sea freight is likely the most effective option for shipping goods from Vietnam. Vietnam has approximately 36 ports scattered along its coastline. However, Hai Phong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau are by far the largest and can accommodate the biggest volume of goods. These service key manufacturing hubs in northern Vietnam and southern Vietnam respectively.

Land crossings

Firms that are shipping food to Vietnam from within Asia could also use one of Vietnam’s many land borders. This is common for firms where Vietnam is a part of a longer supply chain. For example, nuts grown in Cambodia might be shipped to Vietnam for processing. There are a number of land border crossings connecting Vietnam to its neighbours scattered along its northern and western borders.

Dealing with customs

Once goods have been shipped to one of Vietnam’s airports, seaports, or land border crossings they will be subject to a customs inspection before they can leave the country.

Procedure

Firms exporting food from Vietnam must go through a relatively simple process.

  1. They must first complete an electronic customs declaration (form HQ/2015/XK). 
  2. Submit the above form to the customs office online.
  3. This is then either given a green light and the export can proceed. If it receives a yellow light further documentation will be required. If it receives a red light, additional documentation will be required as well as a physical inspection.

For the purposes of exporting food, it should be fairly simple. It would be unusual to receive a yellow or red light. If this were the case a thorough review of the customs declaration would be a good first place to start.

Priority customs treatment

Priority customs treatment is a way to fast track customs procedures for importing and exporting goods, out of and into Vietnam. Essentially this reduces the time goods spend in Vietnam’s ports and, depending on the volume of trade a business is doing through said ports, can be a significant time-saving measure. This incentive program is outlined in the Law on Customs 2014 but is implemented through a series of decrees and circulars.

See also: Priority Customs Treatment in Vietnam

Export taxes

Vietnam does not generally apply export taxes or tariffs to most food products. However, firms should keep in mind that the receiving country may apply import tariffs. In this context, firms should also be mindful that Vietnam has a range of free trade agreements that may limit their exposure to international tariffs.

See also: List of Vietnam’s Free Trade Agreements

Post-customs

After clearing customs, goods for export can travel freely to their intended destination. 

What’s next?

There are a broad range of tax agents, lawyers, market research firms, human resource professionals, and all-in-one consultancies in Vietnam that can assist entrepreneurs in exporting goods from Vietnam or importing foods into Vietnam as the case may be.

For up-to-date information on what is happening in Vietnam’s import and export sector at any given time, however, exporters should make sure to subscribe to the-shiv.

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