Paradox: Hundreds of thousands of tons of imported buffalo meat enter Vietnam every year, then 'disappear' without a trace

Data from the Import and Export Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade) shows that in the first 10 months of the year, Vietnam imported 811,300 tons of meat and meat products, worth 1.62 billion USD, an increase of over 15% in volume and 14.4% in value compared to the same period last year. Among these, frozen buffalo meat accounts for a significant proportion: nearly 17% of the total output and over 30.6% of the total value. In the first 6 months of the year, Vietnam imported over 103,000 tons of buffalo meat from India India continues to be the largest supplier, accounting for 18.52% of Vietnam's total meat imports. Specifically, meat and meat products imported from this market reached 150,200 tons, worth 535.52 million USD. Although the volume decreased by 5.8%, the value still increased slightly compared to the same period in 2024. Businesses reported that most of the imported meat from India is buffalo and cattle meat, with buffalo meat increasing significantly: from 130,800 ...