Vietnam’s imports of precious gemstones and metals, including gold and silver, jumped by 284% year-on-year in the first five months of 2026 to US$1.5 billion.
It was the fastest-growing item among the country’s main imports tracked by the Department of Customs.
Meanwhile, gold industry businesses and associations have been calling on the government to relax regulations on raw gold imports, saying domestic sources are insufficient to meet demand for jewelry.
The Vietnam Gold Traders Association has proposed allowing businesses to import 50 tons of gold annually without tariffs to boost jewelry exports.
It has also urged the government to support a wider range of payment methods.
Customers buy gold at a store in Ho Chi Minh City, Feb. 26, 2026. Photo by Read/Thanh Tung |
Overall imports increased by nearly 31% year-on-year to $229.5 billion, with computers, electronic products, and components accounting for the biggest share after rising by 57.1% to $88.2 billion.
Machinery, equipment, tools, and parts followed with $27.8 billion, a 21.6% increase.
Other large items included manufacturing inputs like fabrics ($6.3 billion), other base metals ($6 billion), and raw plastics ($5.6 billion).
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