Export orders grow strongly
Despite facing many difficulties, Vietnamese export enterprises still recorded strong order growth, especially in the second quarter of 2026, thanks to contingency needs and positive support policies from the Government.
Export bids closed until the end of the second quarter of 2026
At the end of April, C&D Import-Export Co., Ltd. (exporting wood and plywood) was fully booked until the end of the second quarter of 2026. Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper reporters, Mr. Nguyen Tran Luat - Chairman of the Board of Directors of C&D Import-Export Co., Ltd. (exporting wood and plywood) - informed that contracts for the third quarter are still mainly negotiated monthly, instead of being signed for a long term as before. However, contrary to initial concerns, Mr. Luat said that the number of orders in the second quarter increased sharply. Customers have a psychology of buying to compensate and make provisions due to concerns about prolonged war, fluctuating oil prices or lack of transport ships.
As a result, the enterprise's Q2 orders nearly doubled compared to Q1. In Q1/2026, the enterprise exported about 350 containers of goods, including wood, peeling raw materials and finished plywood. Meanwhile, as of April 21, 2026, the total volume of goods delivered and signed contracts has exceeded 500 containers. "Currently, there are still May and June, not to mention additional orders. We expect Q2 output to double compared to Q1, and may even be higher," Mr. Luat shared.
Assessing the policies to support businesses in the past, Mr. Luat said that the Government's response is quite quick and positive, especially in the field of credit and administrative procedures. "Banks have reduced interest rates and accelerated lending procedures. On the management agency side, customs procedures and goods clearance are also faster than before. This is very practical support for export businesses" - he assessed.
According to Mr. Luat, the business community expects that in the coming time, policies to cut administrative procedures and support small and medium-sized enterprises will continue to be implemented more drastically, synchronously and practically.
Explaining the reason for the trade deficit of 3.64 billion USD
According to data from the Statistics Department (Ministry of Finance), in the first quarter of 2026, the trade balance of goods had a trade deficit of 3.64 billion USD (the same period last year had a trade surplus of 3.57 billion USD). In which, the domestic economic sector had a trade deficit of 10.73 billion USD; the foreign-invested sector (including crude oil) had a trade surplus of 7.09 billion USD.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong - Director of the Statistics Department (Ministry of Finance) - said that in the context of the world economy still facing many fluctuations, the shift to a trade deficit mainly reflects the demand for importing machinery, equipment and raw materials for production.
Trade deficit in this period is short-term, associated with the production cycle and price factors, and also reflects the proactive adaptation of businesses to global economic fluctuations, which is not an unusual sign" - Ms. Huong assessed.
Analyzing Vietnam's import and export turnover, Mr. Nguyen Ba Hung - chief economist of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Vietnam - said that first of all, it can be seen that Vietnam's import and export has two characteristics. First, the FDI foreign investor sector accounts for a very high proportion. In 2025, this sector accounts for about 77% of export turnover, while domestic enterprises are only more than 22%. Second, the trade surplus of the FDI sector is the dominant party, while the domestic enterprise sector has a trade deficit.
For the first quarter of 2026, the trade deficit may be consistent with the common trend of imports increasing faster than exports, especially in the period when businesses import raw materials to serve production, preparing for export orders in the following quarters. Therefore, with current data, it is not possible to confirm that this trend reflects a structural change in the economy. However, if structural factors exist, it is likely to stem from the positive recovery of the domestic market. When production, investment and consumption activities accelerate, the demand for importing input and consumer goods will also increase correspondingly" - Mr. Hung analyzed.
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