Vietnam gained growth in the export of cassava chips and cassava-made products in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Department of Agricultural Product Processing and Market Development.

Vietnam's export of cassava chips and cassava-made products in December 2020
alone was estimated at 330,000 tonnes. (Photo: congthuong.vn)

Exports last year reached 2.76 million tonnes, earning US$989 million, an increase of 9% in volume and 2.4% in value compared to 2019. However, the average export price of those products reduced by 6% to US$358.3 per tonne year on year.

In December alone an estimated 330,000 tonnes with a value of US$118 million were exported.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic did cause problems for the cassava production industry according to the department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, but it was still one of the few agricultural products with a positive growth in export value.

The exports of cassava chips in 2020 reached 640,000 tonnes, earning US$139 million, up 60% in volume and 75% in value over the same period last year. The average export price for this product reached US$217 per tonne, up 10%.

Tapioca export was estimated at 2.1 million tonnes with a value of US$850 million, down 1% in volume and 4% in value over the same period in 2019. Its average export price reached US$401 per tonne, down 4%.

According to the department, China was the largest export market with the total volume of cassava chips and cassava-made products reaching 1.9 million tonnes, earning US$772 million. That's an increase of 11.5% in volume and 2.7% in value compared to 2019.

Taiwan and Malaysia were also two other largest export markets of Vietnamese cassava with the growth in export value of 15% and 3% year on year, respectively, in the first 11 months of 2020.

In China market, Vietnam is currently the second largest supplier of both cassava chips and tapioca, according to China’s General Department of Customs.