AsemconnectVietnam - In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of paper and paper products reached $1.85 billion, an increase of 16.36%.

The FDI sector accounted for nearly 60% of this total, with the United States and ASEAN-the two primary markets, representing 68.72% of the overall export value. On the import side, the value reached $1.99 billion, up by 10.36%, with the FDI sector holding a 49.01% share. China remained the largest supplier, accounting for over 40% of total import value, followed by ASEAN, South Korea, and Japan.
Regarding exports, according to the General Statistics Office, Vietnam’s exports of paper and paper products in October of 2026 were estimated at $207.45 million, a 13.03% decrease from September of 2026, but a 16.07% increase compared to October of 2025. In the first 10 months of 2026, the total export value of paper and paper products reached an estimated $1.85 billion, up by 16.36% from the same period of 2025.
In September of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of paper and paper products reached $207.45 million, down by 13.03% from August of 2026 and up by 16.07% from September of 2025, accounting for 0.35% of the country’s total merchandise export value. For the first nine months of 2026, the total export value of paper and paper products nationwide reached $1.85 billion, an increase of 16.36% compared to the same period in 2025.
Specifically, exports of paper and paper products by foreign-invested (FDI) enterprises in September of 2026 totaled $111.69 million, a decline of 19.77% from August of 2026 and 4.22% from September of 2025. Over the first nine months of 2026, the total export value for this sector reached $1,107.47 million, up by 10.98% year-on-year. This accounted for 59.67% of the country’s total paper exports, a decrease from the 62.57% share recorded during the same period of 2025.
Vietnam’s paper exports were primarily directed toward the United States and the ASEAN region, which together accounted for 68.72% of the country’s total export value for these products during the first nine months of 2026. The United States remained Vietnam’s largest export market for paper and paper products, with a total value of $687.17 million for the first nine months of 2026, an increase of 11.46% over the same period of 2025. This represents a 37.03% share of the national total, down from 38.66% in the same period of 2025. ASEAN is the second-largest export market for Vietnam’s paper products, with a total export value of $588.20 million for the first nine months of 2026, an increase of 25.3% compared to the same period in 2025. This accounted for a 31.69% share of total exports (up from 29.43% in the same period of 2025). Among these, Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia are the three largest markets, together representing 74.96% of the total value of paper exports to the ASEAN bloc.
The Chinese market ranked third, with an export value of $140.95 million for the first nine months of 2026, a growth of 20.91% over the same period of 2025, accounting for a 7.59% share (up from 7.31% in the same period of 2025).
Other notable export markets include Taiwan (5.04%), Australia (3.76%), Japan (3.15%), and South Korea (1.51%).
Regarding imports, according to the General Statistics Office, Vietnam’s imports of various types of paper in October of 2026 were estimated at $219.74 million, an increase of 13.07% from September of 2026 and 4.17% from October of 2025. In the first 10 months of 2026, the total import value of all types of paper nationwide was estimated at $1.99 billion, an increase of 10.36% compared to the same period of 2025.
In September of 2026, Vietnam’s imports of various types of paper reached $219.74 million, up by 13.07% from August of 2026 and 4.18% from September of 2025. For the first 9 months of 2026, the total import value of all types of paper nationwide reached $1.99 billion, an increase of 10.36% compared to the same period of 2025.
The imports of various types of paper by foreign-invested (FDI) enterprises in September of 2026 reached $105.75 million, an increase of 5.48% from August of 2026 and 1.94% from September of 2025. In the first 9 months of 2026, the total import value for the FDI sector reached $978.85 million, an increase of 13.84% compared to the same period of 2025, accounting for 49.01% of the country’s total paper imports (an increase from 47.51% in the same period of 2025).
China, ASEAN, South Korea, and Japan remained the four largest suppliers of paper to Vietnam during the first 9 months of 2026. Among them, China continued to be the largest supplier, with a total import value of $802.19 million in the 9-month period, an increase of 14.99% compared to the same period of 2025 and accounting for a 40.16% share (an increase from 38.55% in the same period of 2025).
ASEAN was the second-largest import market, with a total turnover of $542.36 million in the first nine months of 2026, an increase of 4.59% compared to the same period of 2025, representing a 27.15% share (a decrease from 28.65% in the same period of 2025). Within this bloc, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand were the three largest suppliers of paper to Vietnam.
South Korean market ranked third, with a total import value of $188.18 million in the first nine months of 2026, a 4.65% decrease compared to the same period of 2025, accounting for a 9.42% share (down from 10.90% in the same period of 2025). Japan ranked fourth, with an import value of $180.31 million, an increase of 5.77%, representing a 9.03% share.
Other markets followed, including the EU (5.50% share), Taiwan (2.17%), Russia (0.84%), India (0.68%), and the United States (0.59%). Notably, in the first nine months of 2026, the imports of various types of paper from markets such as Russia, France, and Austria recorded significant growth compared to the same period of 2025.
Source: VITIC