According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Southeast Asian nation spent US$22.28 billion on importing farm products, up 12.6 percent.

The sector recorded a trade surplus of US$8.41 billion, an increase of 1.1 percent.

Agricultural exports generated US$16.38 billion, up 6.1 percent; forestry products reached US$7.65 billion, up 4.5 percent; and fishery exports totaled US$4.65 billion, up 10.6 percent.

Notably, livestock exports surged to US$308 million, an increase of 43.2 percent, while exports of production inputs hit US$1.7 billion, up 83 percent. Salt exports also recorded strong growth, attaining US$6.7 million, up 45.8 percent.

China remained Viet Nam's largest export market, accounting for 20.5 percent of total export turnover. It was followed by the U.S., the EU and Japan, making up 18.5 percent, 11.8 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively.