Agriculture sector sees robust growth in Q1

In a talk with thoibaotaichinhvietnam.vn, Nguyen Thanh Trung, CEO of FinSuccess Investment JSC, an investment advisory firm based in Ho Chi Minh City, noted that Q1 earnings results across the board showed that not all industries expected to benefit from macro policies, but many had performed well. Meanwhile, some sectors that initially feared tariffs also recorded strong growth.

Typical examples include seafood, textiles, and livestock, sectors that were expected to be negatively affected by US tariff policies, are now showing positive signals, in many cases even exceeding expectations.

Trung noted that the seafood sector has continued to post impressive revenue growth.

In Q1, seafood exports made a strong comeback, reaching a total value of $2.45 billion, up 26 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

March alone saw export value hit nearly $889 million, an increase of nearly 20 per cent, maintaining an upward trend from the outset of the year.

In the textile and apparel industry, despite a stock price correction following the announcement of new US tariff policies in early April, Trung assessed that the actual business performance was not as grim as the market feared.

Major companies in the sector, such as Song Hong Garment and Thanh Cong Textile Garment JSC, both reported profit increases of nearly 10 per cent in Q1, painting an optimistic business outlook.

The fertiliser industry, less affected by international trade policies, also showed notable signs of recovery.

Nguyen Son, an expert from HSC Securities, remarked that the livestock sector is currently benefiting from a dual advantage: improved output prices and declining input costs.

Major players like Ca Mau Fertiliser, Vinachem, and Lam Thao Super Phosphate all recorded profit growth of over 20 per cent in Q1.

This recovery comes despite falling agricultural product prices and the effects of El Niño in 2024. However, 2025 is expected to see positive improvements, supporting increased cultivation demand.

“The fertiliser sector is enjoying a dual boost from both improved output prices and reduced input costs, especially in the context of tightened global supply,” Son noted.

He also opined that while fertiliser demand is expected to rebound, global supply continues to be constrained, particularly from China, the world’s largest fertiliser exporter, as well as other countries like Egypt and Russia, which are maintaining export restrictions at least through the end of 2025.

This supply squeeze is helping sustain positive pricing trends.

Among agriculture-related sectors, livestock stood out as another bright spot in the first quarter.

According to Trung from FinSuccess Investment, live pig prices in Vietnam have at times soared to nearly $3.2 per kilogramme, the highest in the region.

At the same time, feed prices, one of the main input costs, have been falling sharply since late 2024, offering a double advantage for businesses in the industry.

“Leading firms like BAF and Dabaco have made excellent use of this trend. Dabaco reported a sevenfold increase in its Q1 profit compared to the same period last year, while BAF also saw strong results and confidently aims to double its profit this year,” Trung said.

Notably, regulatory changes in the livestock industry are also playing a role. The new Livestock Law, which took effect at the beginning of 2025, imposes stricter hygiene and disease prevention standards, forcing small-scale farmers to professionalise their operations if they wish to continue competing.

This has effectively created a new ‘barrier to entry’, allowing larger firms to strengthen their positions thanks to advantages in scale and more robust control systems.

Food and beverage sector maintains stellar growth with dealmaking nous Vietnam’s food and beverage market is set to record increased activity as local and foreign players ramp up investments and mergers and acquisitions.

Financial sector posts strong Q1 performance The Ministry of Finance held a meeting in Hanoi on April 18 to review the performance in Q1 and outline key fiscal and legislative actions driving growth and stability in 2025.

Viettel Global records 22 per cent Q1 revenue growth Viettel Global on May 5 revealed revenue growth of 22 per cent via its audited consolidated financial report for the first quarter of 2025.