According to statistics from the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPSA), Vietnam’s star anise exports in October 2025 saw a significant decrease compared to September in both volume and value. However, overall for the first 10 months of the year, this item category still maintained stable growth thanks to sustainable demand from some key markets.
In October, Vietnam exported 705 tons of star anise, equivalent to a value of 3.4 million USD. Compared to September 2025, export volume decreased by 25.4%, while value decreased by 21.8%. This decrease reflects that import market becomes more cautious, while domestic supplies are affected by weather conditions and harvest cycles.
India remains Vietnam’s largest star anise export market in October 2025. This market alone imported 321 tons, accounting for nearly half of the total monthly production. Stable demand from India, a country with a well-growing spice and food processing industry, helps Vietnamese star anise exports maintain an important position, even when many other markets experience fluctuations.
Vietnamese star anise is also exported to traditional markets such as China, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, as well as to European markets for food, medicinal herb, and fragrance production. However, in October 2025, these markets experienced a decline in demand, significantly impacting overall export volume.
Despite the decline in October, the overall picture of Vietnam’s star anise industry since the beginning of the year is quite positive. In 10 months of 2025, Vietnam exported a total of 11,898 tons of star anise, with a turnover of 47.9 million USD. This is an increase compared to the same period last year, especially considering that many other agricultural products are facing price difficulties.
The heart of star anise in Vietnam is Lang Son province, accounting for about 70% of the country’s total star anise area. Over 28,000 hectares of star anise are currently in stable harvest.
According to some export businesses, the demand for star anise in the global market is becoming increasingly diverse. Star anise is also used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, essential oil production, and high-end fragrance products. This opens up opportunities to expand into new markets, particularly countries with developed food and healthcare industries.
However, the star anise industry still faces many challenges. The heavy dependence on a few traditional markets makes exports vulnerable when demand from key markets declines sharply. Additionally, the star anise supply chain is not yet standardized, particularly in the stages of pre-processing, preservation, and quality control. It limits access to markets with higher requirements, such as the EU or the US.
Businesses also said that logistics and international shipping costs remain high, affecting the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods. Besides, exchange rate fluctuations in some importing countries may not fully reflect the increase in export value.
In that context, many experts believe the star anise industry needs to speed up the standardization of production processes, especially in key raw material areas in Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, and Quang Ninh. Applying sustainable farming practices and increasing the proportion of high-quality, export-standard products will help expand markets, reduce dependence on traditional market groups, and improve product value.