Vietnam has a pair of spices considered as the “gold mine” underground: ginger and turmeric. Ginger is a common item for Vietnamese people, but it is highly favored and valuable in the international market. Besides, Vietnam is one of the countries with the largest turmeric cultivation areas in the world, with over 50,000 hectares (by 2021), mainly in the Central and Central Highlands provinces, such as Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, and Dak Nong.
According to the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA), Vietnam exported 29,544 tons of ginger, turmeric, and other spices in 2024, with a total export value of 59.5 million USD. Compared to 2023, the export volume decreased by 15.5%, but the export value increased significantly by 20.7%.
The key export markets for ginger, turmeric, and spices from Vietnam are India, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, respectively.
Ginger and turmeric exports brought in nearly 60 million USD in 2024.
Ky Son district (Nghe An province) is the “center” of ginger in Vietnam. Thanks to the suitable climate and soil conditions, ginger here has superior quality and a particularly rich flavor compared to ginger from other places.
In Vietnam, turmeric can be found in many places, from coastal plains to mountainous regions over 1500 meters. Even in some areas, it grows wild in rice fields and gardens. Vietnamese turmeric has good quality, with a high curcumin content of 3-5%.
Vietnamese ginger is often exported in frozen form. Besides, processed ginger is also consumed strongly. It is commonly used as a spice to support digestive activity, reduce nausea, and help combat flu and common colds.
For turmeric, turmeric starch is the most favored product by many countries. Vietnamese turmeric starch has a nice color, a pleasant aroma, and retains the curcumin content fully, which is a compound with many health and beauty benefits, such as fighting cancer, supporting digestion, protecting the liver, boosting the immune system, improving memory, and whitening the skin.
It is expected that the total export turnover of Vietnam’s spice products could reach about 2 billion USD by 2025, with an export volume of around 500,000 tons.
According to statistics, Vietnam currently ranks third in the world in providing and processing spices, after India and China. The entire Vietnamese spice industry has 14 factories with advanced processing technology. Earlier in 2023, the export of ginger, turmeric, and some other spices reached 34,976 tons with an export value of 49.3 million USD, a significant increase of 222.4% compared to 2022. Currently, there are 30 member enterprises of the VPA participating in the export of ginger and turmeric, along with about 80 other enterprises outside the VPA.