1. Strong Growth in Vietnam–Australia Agricultural Trade
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Following the direction of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam’s export of agricultural and seafood products to Australia continued to post impressive growth in 2024 — up 25.9% compared with 2023.
In early 2025, prices of agricultural products in Australia remain high, and the Vietnam Trade Office recommends taking advantage of this favorable period to boost exports during the first months of the year.
Export Highlights in 2024
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Fruits and vegetables: Over 111 million USD, up 25.9% YoY.
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Seafood: More than 343 million USD, up 9%.
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Coffee: Up 48.3%.
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Rice: Up 17%.
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Confectionery: Up 23%.
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Rubber: Up 17%.
For new or difficult-to-enter products, the Trade Office has proactively created market entry channels.
For example, although Australia does not yet allow imports of fresh chicken from Vietnam, the Trade Office cooperated with M-Import and local supermarkets to promote 15,000 processed silky-chicken products during the Vietnamese Goods Promotion Week 2024 in Western Australia and Queensland, including in-store tastings and international trade fairs that drew strong consumer interest.
(Photo: Vietnamese Trade Office in Australia – Vietnamese Goods Week in Western Australia and Queensland 2024 featuring processed silky-chicken products and various agricultural exports.)
2. Favorable Market Conditions
Australia’s inflation has remained high since August 2024, with food prices hitting a record in the past three months — up 3.3% compared with 2.7% in December 2024, largely due to a 12.3% increase in fruit prices.
The Trade Office encourages Vietnamese enterprises to focus on exporting food, agricultural, seafood, and fruit products to Australia as demand and prices are both favorable.
Notably, Vietnamese rice exports to Australia maintained good prices, with average export value rising 12.3% year-on-year in January 2025, despite minor volume reductions caused by pre-Tết inventories.
(Photo: Sampling activity of Vietnamese agricultural products at an international fair – courtesy of the Vietnamese Trade Office in Australia.)
3. Trade Promotion and Market Access
To further boost exports, the Trade Office calls on Vietnamese businesses to:
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Participate actively in international trade fairs in Australia.
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Engage directly with the Trade Office for market updates and matchmaking.
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Assign decision-making representatives to handle Australian inquiries — recent cases show that Australian importers prefer to work directly with executives, and many emails to Vietnamese firms have gone unanswered.
One key event is the Foodservice Australia 2025 Exhibition, to be held May 18–20, 2025 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC) — Australia’s largest fair for the food, beverage, hospitality, and catering industries.
It will feature nearly 500 booths and special side events such as the Chef of the Year competition.
Vietnamese enterprises are encouraged to register early to secure participation.
(Photo: Vietnam Trade Office booth combined with Hanoi City’s pavilion at Foodservice Australia Fair – Vietnamese Trade Office in Australia.)
4. Expanding Presence Across Australia
Vietnamese agricultural, seafood, and food products have now reached even remote areas such as the Northern Territory.
The Trade Office aims to continue partnering with businesses to bring more innovative and high-value products into the Australian market.
A promising example is Mud Crab, which is sold in Australia at high prices but lacks the rich flavor and roe of Vietnam’s Cà Mau crab.
If Vietnamese enterprises can process and package according to Australian regulations, this could become a high-potential export item.