Turmeric is a common spice to Vietnamese people and can be easily found in markets. This spice originated in India. However, it is a rare spice in the world, found only in a few tropical countries such as India, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Nigeria.
In Vietnam, turmeric is grown in many places, from coastal plains to mountainous regions over 1500 meters high; it even grows wild in rice fields. As a perennial plant, turmeric can reach a height of 1 meter, with long branches.
Vietnam is one of the countries with the largest turmeric cultivation areas in the world (over 50,000 hectares by 2021). Turmeric is mainly grown in the Central and Central Highlands provinces, such as Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, and Dak Nong. Vietnamese turmeric has good quality, with a high curcumin content, ranging from 3% to 5%.
Turmeric exports in the first two months reached 12.8 million USD.
In the first two months of 2025, Vietnam exported 5,949 tons of ginger, turmeric, and other spices, with a total export value of 12.8 million USD. Compared to the same period in 2024, the export volume increased significantly by 30.9%, and the export value rose by 69.9%. Turmeric powder is one of the key products of Vietnam’s food processing industry.
Earlier in 2024, Vietnam exported 29,544 tons of ginger, turmeric, and other spices, 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 by 20.7%.
According to partners, Vietnamese turmeric powder has a beautiful color, a pleasant aroma, no bitterness, and does not contain impurities or preservatives. Curcumin in turmeric is a compound with many health and beauty benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, digestive support, liver protection, immune system enhancement, memory improvement, and skin whitening properties.
Vietnam’s advantage in spice products is the lower production and labor costs compared to advanced countries. Moreover, the large cultivation area optimizes production costs, making the price of Vietnamese turmeric powder highly competitive compared to other competitors. The price of Vietnamese turmeric powder is between 2,000 and 2,500 USD/ton, while the export price of Indian turmeric powder is 3,000 – 3,500 USD/ton.
Currently, Vietnam has 500,000 hectares of various spice plants, with around 400 enterprises and hundreds of thousands of farmers participating in the production and export of these products. At the same time, Vietnam is one of the largest producers and exporters of spices in the world. However, Vietnamese spice plants have been exploited only about 40-50% of their potential. There is still a large room for development in Vietnam’s spice industry.