Large vessels dock at Nghi Son Port, Thanh Hoa
According to a report by the Thanh Hoa Department of Industry and Trade, in December 2025 the province’s total export value was estimated at USD 693.3 million, up 2.3% month on month and 14.5% year on year compared with December 2024. The result underscores exports as a bright spot in external economic activities, amid ongoing uncertainties in the global economy.
Many key export products recorded strong year-on-year growth. Granular sulfur reached 26,285 tonnes, up 56.1%; travel backpacks totaled 11.5 million units, up 53.2%; livestock meat reached 87 tonnes, up 45.6%; and wood chips amounted to 92,000 cubic meters, up 26.4%. Traditional industrial products continued to play a pillar role, with cement reaching 173,027 tonnes, up 13.3%, and footwear totaling 44.94 million pairs, up 4.3%.
For the whole of 2025, Thanh Hoa’s total export value was estimated at around USD 7.3 billion, up 20.3% year on year and equivalent to 91.3% of the annual plan. This reflects strong efforts by the business community to maintain production, expand orders and proactively adapt to increasingly stringent requirements from international markets.
On the import side, in December 2025 Thanh Hoa’s total import value was estimated at USD 913.4 million, up 12.2% year on year. Imports of production-related inputs continued to rise, including pharmaceutical raw materials at USD 1.8 million, up 37.2%; textiles at USD 48.6 million, up 28.3%; and machinery and equipment at USD 39 million, up 10%. Other items included garment accessories at USD 6.5 million, up 8.8%, and footwear accessories at USD 23 million, up 0.9%.
Cumulatively in 2025, the province’s total import value was estimated at approximately USD 10.17 billion, equivalent to 99.2% year on year. The import structure indicates a continued focus on investment in production, particularly in textiles and garments, leather and footwear, pharmaceuticals, and processing and manufacturing industries.
During the 2021–2025 period, Thanh Hoa’s total import-export turnover was estimated at over USD 73.7 billion, including exports of USD 29.27 billion, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 15%. Goods produced in Thanh Hoa are now present in nearly 70 countries and territories, with more than 55 key product groups such as textiles and garments, leather and footwear, crude oil, seafood, wood chips, cement and handicrafts.
According to the Department of Industry and Trade, alongside traditional markets such as the United States, Japan and South Korea, many local enterprises have proactively expanded exports to Europe, India, the Middle East and Africa. Market diversification helps businesses reduce risks, stabilize output and enhance their capacity to cope with changes in tariffs and new trade barriers.
At the same time, the province is stepping up support for enterprises to better understand rules of origin, technical standards and to make use of tariff preferences under free trade agreements such as the EVFTA, UKVFTA and CPTPP. This serves as an important foundation for reducing costs, enhancing competitiveness and expanding production on a green and circular basis.
Notably, the Vietnam–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, with commitments to eliminate tariffs on 99% of export turnover, is expected to open up significant opportunities for Thanh Hoa’s products to penetrate Middle Eastern markets. Many agricultural and processed food enterprises in the province have proactively obtained Halal certification, preparing to tap into promising Islamic markets.
Beyond merchandise exports, Thanh Hoa is also expanding cooperation in high-tech industries, green industry and smart urban development with South Korea and Japan. Cooperation programs with Seongnam and Niigata are facilitating technology transfer and the development of circular agriculture, thereby improving productivity and product quality and laying a foundation for sustainable growth in the coming period.
Source: vneconomy.vn
