Pistachio Boom Drives Vietnam’s Agricultural Exports in 2026

Entering 2026, Vietnam’s agricultural exports have maintained the strong momentum seen in 2025. In particular, pistachios have emerged as a standout product, becoming a key driver of the sector’s rapid export growth.

In January 2026, Vietnam’s pistachio exports reached $140 million, representing a year-on-year surge of 413.4% and making pistachios one of the leading single export items among all agricultural categories.

This growth is largely driven by Vietnam’s import–processing–re-export industrial model. Pistachios are not grown domestically in Vietnam but instead originate mainly from countries such as the United States and Iran. However, owing to its geographic location and supportive policies, Vietnam has become an important global hub for pistachio processing and redistribution.

Amid tariff adjustments between China and the United States, U.S. pistachios face higher tariff costs when exported directly to China, prompting a rapid restructuring of trade flows. By November of the 2025/26 season, U.S. pistachio exports to Vietnam had surged nearly fivefold to 92 million pounds, while exports to Hong Kong increased by 823% to 39 million pounds.

By contrast, exports to mainland China — previously the largest destination — plunged by 89%. More than 60% of the pistachios imported into Vietnam are processed locally, and about 70% of the processed products are exported to China, with the remainder shipped to South Korea, Japan, Singapore and several European Union countries. The average export price of processed pistachios is about 25% higher, reflecting Vietnam’s gradual transition from a transshipment point to a value creator within the supply chain.

While pistachios are leading the surge, traditional key export categories have also maintained steady growth. Durians, long regarded as Vietnam’s flagship fruit export, recorded $120 million in exports in January, a year-on-year increase of 275%. Although exports declined slightly compared with December 2025 on account of seasonal factors, the overall outlook remains strong.

Coconut exports reached $53.9 million, up by 32.9%, while mango exports totaled $33.6 million, an increase of 27.3%, both benefiting from strong international demand. By contrast, dragon fruit exports fell by 17% year on year to $48.5 million, making this one of the few categories to decline.

The explosive growth of pistachios is expected to further accelerate the diversification of Vietnam’s agricultural exports. At present, the sector is striving to achieve more balanced growth across key markets, including China, the United States, South Korea and the European Union, in an effort to effectively reduce the risks associated with overreliance on any single market.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.