April 3, 2026

 

Vietnam brought in more than 56,500 tonnes of poultry meat from Europe last year

 

 

Vietnam imported more than 56,500 tonnes of poultry meat from Europe in 2025, making it the second-largest buyer in Southeast Asia after the Philippines.

 

Shipments to Vietnam included chicken, duck and goose products from the European Union, reflecting steadily rising demand for imported poultry in the country, according to data from the European Commission. In January 2026 alone, Vietnam became the region's largest importer of EU poultry, purchasing more than 5,300 tonnes

 

Poland remained the dominant European supplier to Vietnam, exporting more than 37,300 tonnes last year. France followed with about 4,900 tonnes, while Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands supplied 4,680 tonnes, 2,750 tonnes, and 2,170 tonnes, respectively.

 

Vietnam is one of EU's poultry industry's priority markets in the region, said Dariusz Goszczynski, a representative of the European poultry sector and president of the National Poultry Council under the Polish Chamber of Commerce, at a promotional event in Ho Chi Minh City under the campaign "European Poultry – From Farm to Fork."

 

Vietnam's poultry imports declined during 2021–2022 amid disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, averaging around 30,000 tonnes annually. However, volumes have nearly doubled since 2023 as consumption recovered.

 

Piotr Harasimowicz, head of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) office in Vietnam, said rising imports reflect growing consumer confidence in European poultry products, which are produced under strict safety and quality standards.

 

Industry officials expect demand to continue expanding, with Polish poultry exports to Vietnam alone projected to reach about 45,000 tonnes annually in the coming years.

 

Market data provider Agro Monitor said chicken consumption accounted for 33% of Vietnam's total meat consumption in 2024, up from 29% in 2022, highlighting shifting dietary preferences toward poultry. Average egg consumption reached about 198 eggs per person per year, still below the global average of 250–300 eggs, suggesting further room for market growth.

 

Rising demand is expected to support both domestic livestock development and continued growth in poultry imports as Vietnam's food consumption patterns evolve alongside income growth and urbanisation.

- VNA