AsemconnectVietnam - Vietnam’s agricultural commodity markets recorded mixed movements on the morning of Jan. 29, as prices across key products, including live hogs, black pepper, coffee, rice, and paddy, fluctuated unevenly amid subdued trading activity following the Lunar New Year holiday.

 Market participants remained cautious, with transactions slowing and buyers largely adopting a wait-and-see approach after recent price rallies in several commodities.
Rice and Paddy: Subdued Trading, Slight Price Fluctuations
Vietnam’s rice and paddy markets in the Mekong Delta were quiet on Jan. 29, with prices showing minor fluctuations and trading activity remaining slow. Farmers offered limited volumes of pre-holiday harvests, while buyers were cautious amid subdued demand.
Rice prices were largely stable. Export-grade rice prices, according to the Vietnam Food Association, showed little change. Five-percent broken rice was quoted at USD420–440 per tonne, 100% broken rice at USD 319–323 per tonne, and Jasmine rice at USD446–450 per tonne.
In the domestic market, rice by-products traded in a range of VND7,450–11,000 per kg. Rice bran prices stood at around VND10,000–11,000 per kg, while broken rice IR 5451 was quoted at VND7,450–7,550 per kg.
Fresh paddy prices showed mixed movements of about VND200 per kg for certain varieties. OM 5451 fresh paddy rose by VND200 per kg to trade between VND5,800 and 6,200 per kg, while OM 34 fresh paddy fell by VND200 per kg to VND5,200–5,400 per kg. Other varieties, including OM 18, Dai Thom 8 and IR 50404, were largely unchanged.
Traders said the market remained quiet across An Giang, Dong Thap, Can Tho, Vinh Long and Tay Ninh, with transactions limited and prices moving within narrow ranges.
Black pepper: Domestic prices steady, global markets diverged
Vietnam’s domestic black pepper prices were largely unchanged on Jan. 29, following a period of renewed gains earlier in the month. Prices across key producing areas ranged between VND148,000 and 152,000 per kg.
In the Central Highlands, Dak Lak and Dak Nong recorded the highest prices at VND152,000 per kg. Gia Lai and Dong Nai traded at VND151,000 per kg, while prices in Ba Ria–Vung Tau stood at VND150,000 per kg. Binh Phuoc recorded the lowest level among major producing areas at VND149,000 per kg. Prices were stable compared with the previous trading session.
On the global market, pepper prices moved in divergent directions, according to the International Pepper Community (IPC). Indonesian black pepper prices rose modestly, with Lampung black pepper quoted at USD6,761 per tonne, up 0.46%. Brazilian black pepper ASTA 570 increased 2.44% to USD6,150 per tonne, while Malaysian black pepper ASTA remained unchanged at USD9,000 per tonne.
White pepper prices were also mixed. Muntok white pepper rose 0.47% to USD9,304 per tonne, while Malaysian white pepper ASTA was quoted at USD12,000 per tonne.
Vietnamese black pepper export prices were reported at USD6,400 per tonne for 500 g/l grade and USD6,600 per tonne for 550 g/l grade, while white pepper was priced at USD9,150 per tonne. IPC data showed that prices for Indonesian and Brazilian pepper were adjusted higher, while Vietnamese prices recorded a decline over the past week.
The IPC said that during the fourth week of January, the global pepper market experienced mixed developments among producing countries, reflecting differences in domestic market conditions and currency movements. In India, both domestic and export pepper prices declined slightly, partly due to a 1% depreciation of the Indian rupee against the U.S. dollar. In Indonesia, black pepper prices rose modestly, while white pepper prices remained stable amid relatively steady exchange rates.
Malaysia saw improvements in domestic pepper prices during the same period, while export prices were largely unchanged. Sri Lanka’s domestic pepper prices rose after two consecutive weeks of stability, signaling a gradual recovery in market sentiment.
Coffee: Prices fell after Fed decision and fund selling
Vietnam’s coffee prices declined on Jan. 29, tracking losses on global futures markets after the U.S. Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates unchanged.
Domestic coffee prices across major producing areas fell to VND100,000–101,100 per kg. In Lam Dong province, prices in Di Linh, Lam Ha and Bao Loc were reported at VND100,000 per kg. In Dak Lak province, Cu M’gar recorded the highest level at VND101,100 per kg, while Ea H’leo and Buon Ho traded at VND101,000 per kg.
Dak Nong province saw prices at VND101,100 per kg in some areas and VND101,000 per kg in others. In Gia Lai, prices ranged from VND100,700 to 100,800 per kg, while Kon Tum traded at around VND100,700 per kg.
On international markets, Robusta coffee futures on the London exchange for March delivery fell by USD130 per tonne to USD4,145 per tonne, while the May contract declined by USD119 per tonne to USD4,073 per tonne. Arabica coffee futures on the New York exchange also dropped sharply, with the March contract down 16.25 cents to 351 cents per lb and the May contract falling 12.4 cents to 334.3 cents per lb.
Market analysts said the declines were driven by heavy selling from funds that had previously increased long positions, as well as reports of favorable rainfall in parts of Brazil’s coffee-growing regions. A stronger U.S. dollar also added pressure on prices.
The Federal Reserve, following a two-day policy meeting on Jan. 28, decided to maintain its benchmark interest rate in the 3.5–3.75% range. The decision was widely expected by markets, as the Fed cited persistent inflation and resilient economic growth, while offering limited guidance on the timing of potential rate cuts. The U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.14% to 96.35 in early Asian trading on Jan. 29.
Live hog prices: Mixed movements after recent rally
Vietnam’s live hog market showed signs of stabilization after a prolonged period of strong gains, with prices moving in opposite directions across regions.
In the Northern region, live hog prices edged lower in several localities, while the majority of provinces maintained stable levels. Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh and Phu Tho recorded declines of VND1,000 per kg, bringing prices in these areas to around VND80,000 per kg. Meanwhile, hog prices in Tuyen Quang, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and Hung Yen remained unchanged at VND81,000 per kg, the highest level in the region.
Other Northern provinces, including Cao Bang, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Hanoi and Dien Bien, continued to trade at VND80,000 per kg. Lao Cai and Son La held steady at VND79,000 per kg, while Lai Chau remained the lowest-priced market in the region at VND78,000 per kg. Overall, northern hog prices were traded in a relatively narrow range of VND78,000–81,000 per kg.
In the central region and the Central Highlands, price movements were also mixed. Thanh Hoa province recorded a decline of VND1,000 per kg, with live hogs trading at VND79,000 per kg. In contrast, prices in Quang Tri and Quang Ngai rose by VND1,000 per kg, reaching VND78,000 per kg and VND77,000 per kg, respectively. Other provinces across the region reported no new changes, with prices generally ranging between VND76,000 and 79,000 per kg.
In the southern region, live hog prices remained largely unchanged, as stable supply-demand conditions prevailed. Prices across the region continued to trade between VND75,000 and 78,000 per kg. Dong Nai held steady at VND78,000 per kg, while Tay Ninh and Ho Chi Minh City maintained prices at VND77,000 per kg. Dong Thap and Vinh Long traded at VND76,000 per kg, while An Giang, Ca Mau and Can Tho remained at VND75,000 per kg.
Market observers noted that the recent cooling in hog prices reflected profit-taking after earlier sharp increases, as well as more balanced supply conditions entering the post-holiday period.
T.Huong
Source: Vitic/Kinhtedothi