Weak demand, businesses continue to face difficulties
In the second quarter of 2025, the biggest difficulty for enterprises in the processing and manufacturing industry is still finding and expanding output markets for products. The results of the survey on production and business trends in the second quarter of enterprises in the processing and manufacturing industry by the General Statistics Office ( Ministry of Finance ) with 6,071 responding enterprises reflected that 51.2% of enterprises faced difficulties due to low domestic market demand; 50.1% faced difficulties due to increasing competition from domestic goods and 30.8% of enterprises faced difficulties because demand for goods in international markets had not yet recovered as expected.
Enterprises are still facing difficulties because international market demand has not recovered as expected. In the photo: export garment products of Meko Garment Joint Stock Company, Can Tho City.
Enterprises commented that the second quarter was better than the first quarter of 2025, with a general balance index of 14.4% (35.7% of enterprises assessed production and business activities as better and 21.3% said they were more difficult). Of which, the state-owned enterprise sector achieved the highest, with 14.8%, followed by the non-state enterprise sector at 14.4% and the lowest was the FDI sector at 14.1% (35.2% assessed it as better and 21.1% more difficult).
Regarding new orders, the balance index for the second quarter compared to the first quarter of 2025 was 11.6% (33.2% of enterprises said that new orders increased, 21.6% said that new orders decreased). The balance index for the production volume in the quarter was 16.6% (37.5% of enterprises said that it increased and 20.9% said that it decreased). The balance index for the second quarter compared to the first quarter was -4.2% (12.7% said that it increased, 16.9% said that it decreased); in which the FDI enterprise sector was the highest with -0.9% (18.6% increased, 19.5% decreased), the state enterprise sector was -7.4% (12.2% increased, 19.6% decreased), and the non-state enterprise sector was -5.5% (9.9% increased, 15.4% decreased). This shows that in a difficult market, enterprises tend to reduce the number of employees.
According to the survey results for the second quarter, 78.4% of enterprises said that the number of new orders increased and remained the same compared to the first quarter (33.2% increased, 45.2% remained the same); 21.6% of enterprises said that the number of new orders decreased. By economic sector, the electronics, computer and optical products manufacturing industry had the highest rate of enterprises saying that new orders in the second quarter compared to the first quarter increased with 42.6%. On the contrary, the bed, wardrobe, table and chair manufacturing industry had the highest decrease in orders with the rate of 32.3%.
Also in the second quarter, 16.9% of enterprises reduced their labor, of which the bed, wardrobe, table and chair manufacturing industry assessed that the labor force decreased the most with 25.7%. In terms of expected production volume in the second quarter, 20.9% of enterprises assessed that production volume decreased, this index was more optimistic than in the first quarter when 30.7% of enterprises assessed that production volume increased and remained the same, also reflecting that although total market demand fluctuated and decreased, enterprises made great efforts to find output.
According to the General Statistics Office, in the first 6 months of this year, despite many difficulties and challenges in terms of market, price, supply chain, tax, etc., the added value of the entire industrial sector increased by 8.07% compared to the same period in 2024. In particular, the processing and manufacturing industry is the growth driver of the entire economy, with a growth rate of 10.11%, contributing 2.55 percentage points to the overall growth. However, to achieve the expected target set for 2025, enterprises still need more practical support from macro support policies.
Increase support for businesses to achieve production and business expectations
According to the survey on production and business trends in the second quarter of 2025, the average capacity of machinery and equipment used by enterprises in the processing and manufacturing industry was 74.2%, while this index in the first quarter was 73.6%. By economic sector, the motor vehicle manufacturing industry had the highest average capacity of machinery and equipment used at 81.8%; the wood processing and manufacturing of products from wood, bamboo and rattan (except beds, cabinets, tables and chairs) industry had the lowest rate of enterprises assessing the average capacity of machinery and equipment used at 68.7%.
Regarding the forecast of production and business situation in the third quarter compared to the second quarter, enterprises have a better assessment. The general balance index is 18.1% (with 37.3% of enterprises predicting better operations and 19.2% predicting more difficulties. Regarding new orders, the balance index is 16.9% (with 35.1% predicting an increase and 18.2% predicting a decrease) and 46.7% of enterprises predicting it will remain the same. Enterprises forecast new export orders in the third quarter to be more positive than the second quarter, with 81.8% predicting an increase and remaining the same, 18.2% predicting a decrease...
Although enterprises are more optimistic, they are still cautious about expanding production and business. 17.7% predict that production volume will decrease compared to the second quarter and 82.3% predict that it will increase or remain the same (37.3% increase and 45% remain the same). Enterprises believe that in the past, the Government, ministries, branches and localities have had many effective solutions to support enterprises in production and business, but in the context of global trade being fragmented and complicated as it is now, enterprises need better support to be more effective.
Enterprises recommended that banks continue to consider reducing lending interest rates to create better conditions (38.7% of enterprises responding to the survey recommended). Of which, the wood processing and manufacturing of products from wood, bamboo and rattan (except beds, wardrobes, tables and chairs) industry has the highest rate of enterprises recommending to reduce lending interest rates at 48.6%, mainly concentrated in the two major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (68.2% and 88.9% respectively). Next is the metal manufacturing industry with 47.4% of enterprises recommending.
In addition, 31.8% of enterprises recommended that the State take measures to stabilize the prices of raw materials and energy, an increase of 3.5 percentage points compared to the first quarter of 2025. Enterprises said that the increase in electricity prices has affected production and business costs, increasing the burden on enterprises. 40.7% of enterprises in the production of products from other non-metallic minerals recommended the need to stabilize the prices of raw materials and energy... 25.9% of enterprises recommended the need to reform administrative procedures more synchronously to create more favorable conditions for enterprises to complete the goals set in 2025.
Article and photos: GIA BAO
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/dn-nganh-cong-nghiep-che-bien-che-tao-con-gap-nhieu-kho-khan-a188308.html
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