AsemconnectVietnam - Vietnam’s cassava and cassava product exports in the first quarter of 2026 recorded positive growth in both volume and value, thanks to recovering demand from the Chinese market.

However, the export outlook in the coming period may be affected by the adjustment trend of imports in this market and new management regulations expected to take effect from mid-2026.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam's exports of cassava and cassava products in March and the first quarter of 2026 recorded a significant breakthrough in value, despite the fact that domestic raw material supply is facing localized shortages in some production areas.
Vietnam remains a leading supplier of cassava chips and cassava starch to the Chinese market, especially in the animal feed production, food processing industry, and ethanol production.
Citing data from the Vietnam Customs Department, the Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that in the first 15 days of March of 2026, Vietnam exported 259,600 tonnes of cassava and cassava products, valued at US$90.51 million, an increase of 8.5% in volume and 29.6% in value compared to the same period of 2025. Of this, cassava exports alone reached over 101,530 tonnes, valued at US$22.57 million, an increase of 8.0% in volume and 25.4% in value.
As from the beginning of 2026 to March 15th, 2026, the total exports of cassava and cassava products reached 1.06 million tonnes with a value of US$359.41 million, an increase of 10.7% in volume and 18.4% in value compared to the same period last year.
According to the data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MARD), the volume of cassava and cassava products exported in March of 2026 was estimated at 580,000 tonnes with a value of US$202.3 million. For the first three months of 2026, the total export volume and value of this commodity reached 1.4 million tonnes and US$471.2 million, an increase of 14.4% in volume and 26.4% in value compared to the same period of 2025.
The average export price of cassava and cassava products in the first three months of 2026 was estimated at US$339.9/ton, an increase of 10.4% compared to the same period last year, showing that the price recovery trend has significantly contributed to the improvement in export turnover.
Analyzing the situation of cassava and cassava product exports in more detail, the Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that in January and February of 2026, many processing plants in Vietnam faced difficulties with the domestic supply of fresh cassava tubers, causing exports during this period to decrease by 8.1% in volume and 3.0% in value at times, reaching approximately 517,600 tonnes with the value of 205.3 million USD.
In terms of product structure, Vietnam's cassava exports still mainly focus on two main product groups of cassava starch and dried cassava chips, while the proportion of deeply processed products remains limited.
In the first two months of 2026, cassava starch accounted for approximately 64.21% of the total volume and 76.36% of the total value of exports, mostly consumed in the Chinese market.
Meanwhile, dried cassava chips accounted for approximately 35.49% of the total volume and 23.2% of the total export value, reaching 286,100 tonnes with a value of US$62.38 million, a sharp increase of 174% in volume and 185.1% in value compared to the same period last year. This surge was mainly due to the increased demand for animal feed and ethanol production in China after the Lunar New Year holiday.
Other products such as cassava starch, industrial alcohol, and modified starch products still account for a small proportion of the export structure, although these are high value-added products that are being encouraged for development to improve the efficiency of the cassava industry value chain in the future.
From an import market perspective, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, citing data from the Chinese Customs Administration, showing that in the first two months of 2026, China imported approximately 1.23 million tonnes of cassava chips and starch worth of US$431.35 million, a decrease of 8.9% in volume but an increase of 1.6% in value compared to the same period last year.
This development indicates that import demand is adjusting after a sharp increase in 2025, when record low cassava prices stimulated Chinese businesses to increase their stockpiling of raw materials.
It is projected that in 2026, China's total cassava starch imports may stabilize or decrease slightly, fluctuating between 3.2 and 3.5 million tonnes.
The demand from industries such as food, textiles, paper, and ethanol production is projected to maintain its natural growth rate of around 3-5%, but speculative stockpiling is likely to decrease as prices are no longer as low as last year.
Accordingly, cassava and cassava starch prices on the international market are forecast to recover from their lows and stabilize in the range of 420–530 USD/tonne.
A key policy factor to note is that from June 1, 2026, China will officially implement Order 280, replacing Order 248, with stricter requirements on business registration, traceability, and packaging and labeling standards for imported food.
This regulation is assessed to potentially cause localized disruptions to the export flow of cassava and cassava products in the second half of 2026 if businesses do not promptly complete the procedures and meet the new standards.
CK
Source: VITIC/tapchikinhtetaichinh.vn