The most valuable Vietnamese exports also include hi-tech products such as mobile phones, computers and solar power components. Crude oil is another area where Vietnam’s supply exceeds domestic demand and generates product-level surpluses for the Asian country. This is also the case for both men’s and women’s clothing.
The following list shows on which product categories Vietnamese exporters spent the most. Unlike most information currently available on the web, the items below are detailed at the 4-digit tariff code level.
This level of granularity can help entrepreneurs identify more precisely which products in which Vietnam has strong demand but competitive disadvantages compared with other nations. Innovation can transform these disadvantages into lucrative business opportunities.
For the most recent year’s details, please see the paragraph at the bottom of the “Top 10” tab section in Vietnam’s Top 10 Exports article. For a link to that article, see the See also paragraph above Research Sources below.
Highest Value Vietnamese Export Products
Below are the 20 highest value export products delivered to Vietnamese exporters in 2017. Shown within brackets is the change in value for each exported product from 2016 to 2017.
- Phone system devices including smartphones: US$50.1 billion (up 38.7% since 2016)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $15.3 billion (up 194.6%)
- Footwear (textile): $9.5 billion (up 54.6%)
- Footwear (leather): $6 billion (up 40.1%)
- Miscellaneous furniture: $5.8 billion (up 49.6%)
- TV/radio/radar device parts: $5.3 billion (up 1218.9%)
- Printing machinery: $4.1 billion (up 58.6%)
- Computers, optical readers: $3.8 billion (up 2.6%)
- Cases, handbags, wallets: $3.8 billion (up 35%)
- Footwear (rubber or plastic): $3.7 billion (up 56.7%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $3.6 billion (up 19.4%)
- Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet): $3.6 billion (up 36.4%)
- Coffee: $3.5 billion (up 14.6%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $3.2 billion (up 82.3%)
- Microphones/headphones/amps: $3.1 billion (up 47.9%)
- Coconuts, cashews, Brazil nuts: $3 billion (up 5.2%)
- Crude oil: $2.9 billion (up 11.1%)
- Women’s clothing (not knit or crochet): $2.8 billion (down -6.1%)
- Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools: $2.7 billion (up 422.2%)
- Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs): $2.6 billion (up 81.2%)
Among these product categories, television/radio/radar device parts posted the greatest increase in Vietnamese export sales with an 1,219% gain in value from 2016 to 2017.
In second place were exported liquid crystal/laser/optical tools which appreciated 422.2%.
Vietnamese exports of integrated circuits and microassemblies showed an impressive gain in 2017 up by 194.3%, followed by an 82.3% boost in Vietnam’s international sales of solar power diodes and semi-conductors.
The sole top export product to decline year over year was unknit and non-crocheted women’s clothing which fell by -6.1%.
Across all Vietnamese exports, 39.8% was the average increase in value from 2016 to 2017.
See also Vietnam’s Top 10 Exports and Vietnam’s Top 10 Imports
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on May 14, 2018
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on May 14, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on May 14, 2018