Vietnam’s cassava exports find growth in South Korea as China shipments fall

Higher prices support export revenue

Vietnam exported more than 130,000 tonnes of cassava worth over $57 million in July, according to preliminary data from the country’s Customs Department reported by Soha. Both volume and value declined from the previous month, underscoring the pressure facing one of the world’s three largest cassava-exporting countries.

Across the first seven months of 2026, exports exceeded 2.1 million tonnes and generated more than $756 million. Volume was approximately 15% lower than in the same period of 2025, but total revenue was almost unchanged. The average export price reached about $359 per tonne, an increase of 18% year on year. That price gain largely compensated exporters for the reduction in physical shipments.

Vietnam produces 10 million tonnes of cassava annually, according to the headline information accompanying Soha’s report. The crop supplies processors making starch and other products for food, beverages, animal feed, chemicals, paper, textiles and biomaterials.

China remains dominant despite steep contraction

China continued to account for most Vietnamese cassava exports, but it also recorded the sharpest decline. Vietnam shipped nearly 2 million tonnes to China during the first seven months, with a value above $688 million. Compared with the same period of 2025, volume fell 34% and value dropped 46%, Soha reported.

The figures show that Vietnam’s cassava sector remains heavily exposed to Chinese demand. They also indicate that the increase in Vietnam’s overall average export price did not prevent a much larger contraction in revenue from its principal market. Beyond China, Malaysia was among the destinations posting double-digit growth, while shipments to Taiwan trended lower.

South Korea emerges as a faster-growing outlet

South Korea recorded particularly strong growth in July. Vietnam supplied nearly 26,000 tonnes of cassava to the country, up 176% from a year earlier. The value of those shipments exceeded $8.7 million, an increase of 228%. Although South Korea remains a smaller destination than China, its faster growth offers Vietnamese suppliers another outlet as sales to their traditional market weaken.

South Korea is a net importer of cassava and cassava products and depends heavily on foreign supply. Its imports were worth approximately $22.4 million in 2025, while exports were negligible. Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia are important suppliers, supported by their production scale, costs and relatively stable quality.

Cassava starch, rather than fresh roots or dried chips, is the principal product in South Korea’s import mix. Food manufacturers use it as a thickener and stabilizer in products including bubble tea, confectionery, instant noodles and gluten-free foods. Demand also comes from beverage, animal-feed and chemical producers, while paper, textile and biomaterial applications provide additional industrial outlets.

Diversification depends on standards and scale

Soha cited estimates placing South Korea’s cassava starch market at about $6.1 million-$6.4 million in 2024. The market could reach $8.5 million-$9.2 million during 2030-2035, corresponding to average annual growth of approximately 3.8%-4.7%. Interest in natural, clean-label and gluten-free products may encourage manufacturers to replace part of their wheat flour use with cassava starch.

For Vietnamese processors and exporters, South Korea cannot yet replace China’s scale. July shipments to Korea nevertheless demonstrate that suppliers able to meet demanding quality and product standards can build sales in higher-growth markets. Expansion in South Korea and Malaysia would reduce concentration risk, but the sector’s near-term performance will still be shaped primarily by Chinese purchasing and by whether elevated export prices can continue to offset lower volumes.