There are disclosed a process for producing a vinyl ester polymer having a high degree of polymerization at a high efficiency, which process comprises subjecting a vinyl ester monomer to seed polymerization by the use of a vinyl ester polymer emulsion as a seed emulsion under the conditions in which the charge of a water-soluble initiator per unit volume (1 liter) of reactant liquid charge is 1.times.10.sup.-8 to 2.times.10.sup.-4 mol, and the charge of the water-soluble initiator per one particle of the vinyl ester polymer particles in the seed emulsion is 1.times.10.sup.-28 to 1.times.10.sup.-20 mol, and a process for producing a vinyl alcohol polymer at a high efficiency from the vinyl ester polymer thus obtained.According to these processes of the present invention, both a vinyl ester polymer and vinyl alcohol polymer each having a higher degree of polymerization can be produced with ease on an industrial scale.