Việt Nam exported more than US$17 billion worth of timber and wood products last year, setting a new record and defying a period marked by global economic uncertainty and on‑again, off‑again tariffs. That is according to new data from Việt Nam Customs, which revealed that exports surged in December, reaching US$1.7 billion and pushing total turnover for 2025 to US$17.2 billion, a 6 per cent increase from the previous year, with trade officials confident that export earnings could rise to US$18.5 billion this year.
As it stands, the United States remains Việt Nam’s most important market by a wide margin. Shipments to American buyers, despite ongoing tariff threats, climbed to US$9.46 billion in 2025, accounting for 55 per cent of all wood exports and reinforcing Việt Nam’s position as the leading supplier of wooden furniture.
Việt Nam’s share of the US wooden furniture market rose from 40.5 per cent in the first eight months of 2024 to 45.3 per cent in the same period of 2025. Over that same time, China’s share fell from 15.7 per cent to 10.4 per cent, with Japan absorbing much of the shift.
Exports to Japan increased by more than 23 per cent to exceed US$2.1 billion, the first time Việt Nam has crossed the US$2 billion threshold in that market. The growth pushed Japan ahead of China to become Việt Nam’s second‑largest destination for wood and wood products.
Although whilst exports to China slipped to third place, the country still imported US$2.1 billion in Vietnamese wood products, marking the second consecutive year that shipments to China have topped US$2 billion.
Together, the United States, Japan, and China now account for 80 per cent of Việt Nam’s total wood export value, with secondary markets, including South Korea (US$709 million), Canada (US$288 million), and the United Kingdom (US$244 million), remaining comparatively small.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, furniture exports totalled US$9.4 billion in the first 11 months of 2025, accounting for nearly 61 per cent of total export value. Several other categories, including wood chips, timber and flooring, and wood pellets, each surpassed US$1 billion in revenue.
The year, however, was not without challenges.
Viet Nam News reports that traders faced reciprocal tax measures, anti‑dumping and countervailing duty investigations from the United States, and rising pressure from the European Union’s upcoming EUDR. Domestically, natural disasters and flooding disrupted supply chains and raw material flows.
Looking ahead, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said the sector aims to maintain forest coverage at current levels while expanding large‑timber plantations, accelerating digital transformation, and diversifying export markets to reduce reliance on major buyers. The government also plans to strengthen the “Vietnam Wood” brand and advance carbon‑market initiatives.
