What is Vietnam's trump card?

The outlook for agricultural exports in early 2025 is very positive. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has been implementing various solutions to promote the export of these products.

On the afternoon of March 27th, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chaired a meeting with the Vietnam General Association of Agriculture and Rural Development. The meeting was attended by representatives from several ministries and agencies. On behalf of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan participated.

Agricultural exports are experiencing strong growth.

Reporting at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan provided information on the export situation of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products in the first two months of the year.

According to statistics from the Customs Department, in the first two months of 2025, the export value of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products reached US$8.4 billion, an increase of 10.6% compared to the same period in 2024 and accounting for approximately 13.1% of the country's total export value.

Specifically, export value recorded positive growth compared to the same period in 2024 for 5 out of 10 key commodities. These included: pepper (27.3 thousand tons, $184.5 million), a decrease of 11.6% in volume but an increase of 48.6% in value; coffee (309.5 thousand tons, nearly $1.7 billion, a decrease of 22% in volume but an increase of 37.2% in value); rubber (276 million tons, $524 billion, a decrease of 7.4% in volume but an increase of 22.8% in value); seafood (1.43 billion USD, an increase of 19% in value); and wood and wood products (nearly $2.5 billion USD, an increase of 9.4% in value)...

Despite facing many difficulties, Vietnamese rice remains popular in many markets (Photo: Can Dung)

Regarding rice exports, in the first two months of the year, exports reached 1.23 million tons, valued at $675 million, a 17.6% increase in volume. This was primarily due to continued high import demand from traditional markets such as the Philippines, China, and African countries. Notably, Vietnamese rice prices continued to maintain a competitive advantage compared to other exporting countries thanks to improved quality and flexible trade policies.

Overall, agricultural products continued to play a leading role, contributing significantly to the overall growth. The highest-exporting items in this group included coffee, rice, cashew nuts, pepper, fruits and vegetables, and rubber. In addition, seafood and forestry exports also showed positive signs thanks to increased demand from international markets.

Over the past period, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has coordinated with ministries, sectors, localities, and agricultural industry associations to focus on promoting key tasks and solutions to support and boost the consumption of agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products, contributing to achieving record results in agricultural production and export.

Specifically, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has provided information on export markets, trade policies, standards and regulations for products, consumer demand and preferences in target markets; and forecasting information on factors affecting the competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural products to help businesses better prepare for opportunities and challenges in international business. It has also organized a series of monthly trade promotion conferences with the system of Vietnamese trade offices abroad...

Specifically for the agricultural and food sector, the Trade Promotion Department organized three conferences to exchange information and solutions for promoting exports of agricultural products, including: trade promotion to develop export markets for rice (February); coffee and spices (April); and seasonal agricultural products (May).

In addition, within the framework of the National Trade Promotion Program in 2024, the leading units implemented 31 projects on market development and export promotion for agricultural products and related goods with a total support budget of over 28.64 billion VND (equivalent to nearly 20.8% of the total program budget).

In 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade approved 36 projects on the development of agricultural product markets in Decision No. 4057/QD-BCT dated December 31, 2024, on the approval of the National Program on Trade Promotion in 2025. Immediately after the program was approved, the Trade Promotion Department - the National Trade Promotion Program Management Board - closely coordinated with trade promotion agencies of ministries, sectors, industry associations, local trade promotion agencies, and mass media to disseminate information and guide businesses to proactively select, develop, and participate in appropriate trade promotion activities.

To date, the lead units have implemented 7 projects in the field of agricultural products and food, notably including the Fruit Logistica Berlin fruit and vegetable fair, the Biofach organic fair, and the Foodex international food and beverage fair... These have attracted a total of nearly 120 Vietnamese businesses, resulting in the signing of numerous contracts and memoranda of cooperation with a total value of nearly 8.3 million USD.

Furthermore, the Food of Vietnam Brand Program, assigned by the Prime Minister to the Minister of Industry and Trade, aims to raise awareness among Vietnamese businesses about building, developing, and protecting food industry brands; and to promote the export of Vietnamese agricultural and food products.

The program includes nine food items under consideration for potential branding to represent the food industry: tea, pepper, cashews, coffee, fruits, cereals, seafood, fresh vegetables, and honey. Over the years, through domestic and international trade promotion events, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has consistently integrated the promotion and advertising of the "Food of Vietnam" brand for the nine specific sub-sectors mentioned above, achieving many positive results and attracting significant attention from businesses and consumers both domestically and internationally.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade also organizes numerous training courses to help businesses grasp market trends, improve export skills, and promote trade effectively. Simultaneously, it collaborates with industry associations and international partners to organize direct networking programs.

Continuing to "pave the way" for agricultural exports.

Despite positive results in agricultural, forestry, and fisheries exports, businesses still face several major challenges. The international market remains volatile, particularly with increasing trade barriers from importing countries. Furthermore, high logistics and input material costs negatively impact business profit margins.

However, opportunities are also significant as free trade agreements (FTAs) continue to provide tariff preferences and expand markets for Vietnamese exports. Investing in sustainable supply chains, improving product quality, and leveraging the advantages of FTAs ​​will help businesses maintain their growth momentum in the future.

In the coming period, to continue overcoming market challenges and promoting exports of agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will continue to improve the quality of forecasting global market fluctuations, focusing on gathering information on the production and export strategies of competitors. In addition, it will leverage favorable factors to consolidate and expand the position of Vietnam's agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products in the new context.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade also requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to re-plan the raw material areas towards expansion, quality, and efficiency, supporting farmers in converting low-yield crops to higher-yield varieties to increase both yield and post-harvest quality. At the same time, they proposed researching and developing cooperation and investment programs for cashew raw material areas with African countries, Cambodia, and Laos to facilitate domestic businesses' access to raw materials at more competitive prices.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will continue to coordinate, promote, and support member businesses to participate in domestic and international trade fairs and exhibitions such as Vietnam Foodexpo, Anuga, SIAL, Gulfood, etc., under the National Trade Promotion Program, as well as other domestic and international trade promotion activities.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/xuat-khau-nong-san-khoi-sac-dau-la-at-chu-bai-cua-viet-nam-380324.html