Coffee prices in Vietnam’s Central Highlands held steady at elevated levels following a strong rally last week. Farmgate prices ranged between 93,000 and 94,000 dong per kg, unchanged from the previous day but near recent highs, providing continued support for growers. Dak Lak and Gia Lai recorded the highest prices in the region at 94,000 dong per kg, while Lam Dong traded slightly lower at 93,000–94,000 dong.

On international markets, coffee futures had posted significant weekly gains. On the London exchange, robusta futures for May delivery rose roughly 6% over the past week, increasing by $209 to reach $3,664 per metric ton. July contracts also climbed 5.8% to $3,568 per ton. Meanwhile, arabica futures on the New York exchange outperformed robusta, with the May contract surging 8.6% to 309.75 U.S. cents per pound, and the July contract rising 8.2% to 302.35 cents. The strong upward momentum reflected tightening supply expectations and continued buying interest from global traders.

In contrast, Vietnam’s domestic pepper market remained subdued, with prices holding steady but lacking upward momentum. On March 24, pepper traded in a narrow range of 135,000 to 136,000 dong per kg, unchanged from the previous session but marking the lowest levels since July 2025. In the Central Highlands, Dak Lak and Lam Dong recorded the highest prices at 136,000 dong per kg, while Gia Lai and Dong Nai saw lower levels at around 135,000 dong.

Export markets also showed limited movement. According to data from the International Pepper Community, global pepper prices remained broadly stable, reflecting a balanced supply-demand outlook. Indonesian black pepper was quoted at $6,994 per ton, while Brazil’s ASTA 570 grade stood at around $6,050 per ton. Malaysian black pepper remained higher at $9,100 per ton. Vietnam’s export prices for black pepper of 500 g/l and 550 g/l grades held in the range of $6,300–6,400 per ton. In the white pepper segment, Indonesia recorded prices of $9,260 per ton, Vietnam at $9,050, and Malaysia maintained the highest level at $12,100 per ton.

Durian prices showed sharp divergence across segments, with notable declines in lower-grade Thai durians due to weak demand and slower export activity. Prices for standard Thai durians dropped by approximately 15,000 dong per kg at several warehouses. However, premium-grade fruit continued to command high prices. In the Mekong Delta, top-grade Thai durians were traded at 160,000–166,000 dong per kg, while grade B ranged from 140,000 to 145,000 dong and grade C fluctuated between 65,000 and 80,000 dong.

Lower-quality Thai durians were priced significantly lower, with grade A at around 125,000 dong per kg, grade B at 105,000 dong, and grade C at 60,000 dong. Substandard or damaged fruit saw wide price variation, ranging from 50,000 to 110,000 dong depending on quality. For Ri6 durians, a popular domestic variety, grade A prices ranged from 84,000 to 92,000 dong per kg, with some buyers offering up to 95,000 dong for premium-quality fruit. Grade B traded between 70,000 and 77,000 dong, while lower-quality fruit fell sharply to as little as 17,000–22,000 dong per kg.

Rice markets in the Mekong Delta remained subdued amid peak harvesting of the winter-spring crop, as abundant supply weighed on prices and slowed trading activity. According to data from An Giang’s agriculture department, fresh paddy prices for OM18 and Dai Thom 8 varieties ranged between 5,600 and 5,800 dong per kg. OM5451 traded at 5,400–5,500 dong, while IR50404 stood at 5,200–5,300 dong per kg. OM34 recorded the lowest levels at around 5,100–5,200 dong.

In the export segment, rice prices were relatively stable with slight increases in some categories. OM5451 rice edged up by 50 dong to 8,300–8,400 dong per kg. Dai Thom 8 traded at 9,150–9,350 dong, while OM18 ranged from 8,900 to 9,100 dong per kg. Retail rice prices in domestic markets were largely unchanged, with premium varieties such as Nang Nhen reaching up to 28,000 dong per kg, while standard rice remained at 12,000–13,000 dong.

Vietnam’s export rice remained competitive on the global market. The country’s 5% broken rice was offered at $400–415 per ton, higher than Thailand’s $381–385 per ton and India’s $351–355 per ton, reflecting steady international demand for Vietnamese rice despite short-term domestic pressure.

Live hog prices showed a divergent regional trend. In northern and central provinces, prices declined slightly by around 1,000 dong per kg, with average levels falling to 64,000–65,000 dong per kg. Provinces such as Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang and Hanoi recorded these decreases, while similar downward adjustments were seen in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh.

In contrast, southern Vietnam continued to see upward momentum in hog prices. Key livestock hubs including Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho reported increases of about 1,000 dong per kg. As a result, several southern localities reached the highest nationwide price level of 69,000 dong per kg, highlighting stronger demand and tighter supply conditions in the region.

Domestic rubber prices remained largely stable, with no significant changes reported among major producers. Binh Long Rubber Company maintained its purchasing price for latex at 432 dong per TSC degree, while bulk latex held at 14,000 dong per kg. Ba Ria Rubber Company quoted latex at 420 dong per TSC degree and processed rubber at 14,600 dong per kg. Other producers, including Mang Yang and Phu Rieng, also reported unchanged prices.

On global markets, rubber prices showed mixed movements. Thai rubber futures for April delivery rose by 0.7% to 75.5 baht per kg, supported by concerns over supply constraints. However, prices declined slightly on other exchanges, with Japan falling 0.5% to 353 yen per kg and China slipping 0.1% to 16,085 yuan per ton.

Despite these mixed signals, analysts said the rubber market continued to receive underlying support from a gradual recovery in the global automotive and manufacturing sectors. Regional data also highlighted strong export performance, with Cambodia reporting rubber export revenues of $420 million in the first two months of 2026, up 35.8% from the same period last year.

Overall, Vietnam’s agricultural markets on March 24 reflected a mixed but cautiously stable outlook, with strength in coffee and livestock helping to offset weakness in fruit and grain segments as producers navigated shifting market conditions.

Source: Vitic