According to statistics from the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPSA), Vietnam imported 454 tons of cinnamon in November 2025, with a value of nearly 1 million USD. This is an increase of 45% in volume and 19% in value compared to October. Indonesia is the largest supplier of cinnamon to Vietnam, accounting for 80.6%.
In the first 11 months of the year, Vietnam imported 4,028 tons of cinnamon, worth 9.5 million USD. Compared to the same period last year, import volume and value decreased by 2.3% and 4.4%, respectively. Vietnam imports cinnamon mainly from Indonesia, accounting for 72.1%, an increase of 46.8% compared to the same period in 2024.
By the end of November 2025, Vietnam had exported 108,929 tons of cinnamon, with a total export value of 272.6 million USD. Compared to the same period last year, export volume increased by 20.7%, and export value increased by 9.4%.
These positive results reflect the strong development of cinnamon, a crop considered the “green gold” of many mountainous regions. In addition to its high economic value, cinnamon also plays an important role in forest greening, erosion control, and improving the microclimate.
Vietnam is a top exporter of cinnamon but is heavily reliant on Indonesia?
The outstanding advantage of the cinnamon tree lies in its comprehensive utilization: the leaves and branches are used for essential oil distillation; the bark is a spice and medicinal ingredient; and the wood is applied in the production of utensils and building materials. The tree has a harvest cycle of 6–7 years, providing high and stable economic value to growers. Thanks to diverse outputs and on-site purchasing by businesses, the incomes of cinnamon growers in many localities have significantly improved.
Vietnam’s cinnamon production is about 41,000 tons per year, only half that of China and Indonesia. However, Vietnam is currently the world leader in cinnamon export value. In 2022, Vietnamese cinnamon accounted for 18.2% of global production but held a 34.4% share of the global cinnamon export market, with a value exceeding 292 million USD. Besides domestic production, Vietnam also imports a large quantity of cinnamon from Indonesia.
Vietnam imports cinnamon mainly for deep processing, meeting diverse needs in the food and beverage industry, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, and producing high-value products such as cinnamon powder or sticks, re-export and domestic use. Especially, domestic production is not enough to meet the demands of large, high-quality markets.
Vietnam is holding a high position in the international market. However, experts said that the potential and advantages of the cinnamon industry have not been fully realized. There is a lack of high-quality products. Besides, the levels of heavy metals and pesticides remain high, leading to a lack of competitive advantage.