Business News

Vietnam’s agro-forestry-fishery exports reached an estimated US$16.69 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 5.9% from a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. The sector posted a trade surplus of US$4.78 billion, up 12% year-on-year. Exports in March were estimated at US$6.02 billion, rising 47.8% from February but slipping 1.5% year-on-year.

Selling prices in Vietnam’s manufacturing sector rose at the fastest pace in nearly 15 years in March, driven by a sharp increase in input costs linked to the U.S.-Israel war effort against Iran in the Middle East, according to S&P Global. The S&P Global Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 51.2 in March from 54.3 in February, indicating slower growth in operating conditions while remaining above the 50-point threshold for a ninth consecutive month.

Data released on April 1 by the Forestry and Forest Protection Department showed natural forests accounted for over 10 million hectares, while replanted forests covered more than 4.9 million hectares. About 13.92 million hectares met the criteria for calculating forest coverage, including 10.08 million hectares of natural forest and 3.85 million hectares of replanted forest.

More than 160,000 tons of Vietnamese rice were exported to Senegal in 2025 with total revenue of US$52.57 million, a 30-fold increase compared to 2024, according to the latest report by the Vietnam Trade Office in Algeria (covering Senegal). As a major West African importer, Senegal consumes an average of one million tons of rice annually, primarily low-cost 100% broken rice, with a per capita consumption of 117kg, among the highest in the region.

The northern province of Hung Yen has proposed developing a free economic zone (FEZ) on over 60,000 hectares at an estimated cost of US$18 billion. According to the proposal to be submmited to the central Government, the Hung Yen FEZ will be developed as a strategic hub for high-tech manufacturing, new energy, and advanced logistics based on the operational 30,583-hectare Thai Binh economic zone.

Phu Tho Province aims to attract more than US$1.1 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) and about VND70 trillion in domestic capital in 2026. The northern province sees investment attraction as a key growth driver, with a shift from volume to project quality. In 2025, Phu Tho drew about US$1.51 billion in FDI and nearly US$10 billion in domestic investment. It is currently home to 735 FDI projects worth around US$13.2 billion from 27 countries and territories.

This strategic shift, focusing on high-impact infrastructure and technology transfer, is the centerpiece of a newly approved master plan for the 2026-2030 period under Decision No. 441/QD-TTg. The Government aims to move toward “New Generation ODA” models, including budget support and result-based disbursements, to fuel sustainable development goals.

Vietnam’s film industry is aiming to become one of the world’s top 10 cinema markets as ticket sales reached more than 70 million and box office revenue approached VND5.6 trillion in 2025, according to data released by CJ CGV Vietnam. The figures were presented at a strategic partner conference held by CJ CGV Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City on March 11, which brought together producers, directors, filmmakers and cinema operators, reported the Vietnam News Agency.