AsemconnectVietnam - According to the statistics figures from the General Department of Customs, Vietnam's exports of paper and paper products in the first nine months of 2026 were estimated at US$1.64 billion, a 16.35% increase year-on-year, driven by major markets such as the United States and China.

Conversely, the total import value for this product group reached approximately US$1.77 billion, up by 11.14% compared to the same period in 2025. FDI enterprises continued to play a pivotal role, accounting for a significant share of the value in both import and export trade.
Regarding exports, according to the General Department of Customs, Vietnam's exports of paper and paper products in September of 2026 were estimated at US$238.54 million, up by 3.38% from August off 2026 and 20.38% from September off 2025. For the first nine months of 2026, the country's total export value of paper and paper products was estimated at US$1.64 billion, a 16.35% increase year-on-year.
Previously, in August of 2026, Vietnam's exports of paper and paper products reached US$238.55 million, an increase of 3.38% from July of 2026 and 20.38% from August of 2025, accounting for 0.43% of the country's total merchandise export value. In the first eight months of 2026, the country's total export value of paper and paper products reached US$1.64 billion, an increase of 16.35% compared to the same period of 2025.
Specifically, the exports of paper and paper products by FDI enterprises in August of 2026 reached US$139.21 million, up by 8.98% from July of 2026 and 6.16% from August 2025. In the first eight months of 2026, the total export value from this sector reached US$995.20 million, a 12.93% increase year-on-year, accounting for 60.39% of the country's total paper exports (a decrease from the 66.17% share recorded in the same period of 2025).
Regarding export markets, Vietnam primarily exported paper to the United States and ASEAN; combined, these markets accounted for 69.20% of the country's total export value for these products during the first seven months of 2026.
The United States was Vietnam's largest market for paper and paper products, with an export value of US$613.27 million in the first eight months of 2026, up by 13.56% year-on-year, representing 37.22% of the national total (down from a 38.13% share in the same period of 2025).
ASEAN was the second-largest market, with exports totaling US$526.99 million in the first eight months of 2026, an increase of 26.64% compared to the same period in 2025, accounting for a 31.98% share (an increase from the 29.38% recorded in the same period of 2025). Among these, Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia were the three largest consumer markets, accounting for 75.11% of the total paper export value to this bloc.
Ranking third were exports to China, with a total value of US$115.51 million in the first eight months of 2026, a growth of 4.74% compared to the same period in 2025, representing a 7.01% share (a decrease from the 7.79% share in the same period of 2025).
The next were exports to other markets: Taiwan (5.09%), Australia (3.75%), Japan (3.17%), and South Korea (1.54%), etc.
Regarding imports, according to preliminary statistics from the General Department of Customs, Vietnam's imports of various types of paper in September of 2026 were estimated at US$194.33 million, down by 16.28% from August of 2026 and down by 3.44% from September of 2025. For the first nine months of 2026, the country's total import value of paper products was estimated at US$1.77 billion, an increase of 11.14% compared to the same period of 2025.
In August of 2026, Vietnam's imports of paper products reached US$194.33 million, a decrease of 16.28% compared to July of 2026 and 3.45% compared to August of 2025. In the first eight months of 2026, the country's total import value of various types of paper reached US$1.78 billion, an increase of 11.15% compared to the same period of 2025.
The imports of paper by FDI enterprises in August of 2026 totaled US$100.25 million, down by 15.7% from July of 2026 but up 0.15% from August of 2025. For the first eight months of 2026, the total import value for the FDI sector reached US$872.55 million, a 15.40% increase year-on-year, accounting for 49.10% of the country's total paper imports (up from 47.31% in the same period of 2025).
Regarding import markets, China, ASEAN, South Korea, and Japan remained the four largest suppliers of paper to Vietnam during the first seven months of 2026.
Notably, China remained the largest supplier, with a total import value of US$716.17 million in the first eight months of 2026, up by 15.68% year-on-year, representing a 40.30% share of the total (an increase from the 38.72% share recorded in the same period of 2025).
ASEAN was the second-largest source of imports, with a total value of $482.84 million in the first eight months of 2026, an increase of 6.65% year-on-year, accounting for a 27.17% share (down from 28.32% during the same period in 2025). Within this bloc, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are the three largest paper suppliers to Vietnam.
South Korea ranked third, with import value reaching $165.28 million in the first eight months of 2026, a decrease of 6.20% year-on-year, representing a 9.3% share (down from 11.02% during the same period of 2025). Japan ranked fourth with a value of $158.82 million, up by 5.36%, accounting for an 8.94% share.
Other markets followed, including the EU (5.43% share), Taiwan (2.22%), Russia (0.79%), India (0.70%), and the United States (0.59%). Notably, during the first eight months of 2026, the imports of various paper products from markets such as Russia, France, and Austria recorded significant growth compared to the same period of 2025.
Source: VITIC