FTA paves the way for An Giang's goods.

Effectively leveraging free trade agreements (FTAs) is opening up opportunities for Vietnam's exports. With its advantages in agricultural and aquatic products, An Giang has the opportunity to expand its market if businesses proactively meet international standards.

Workers at TBS An Giang Joint Stock Company produce fashion bags for export. Photo: KIEU DIEM

The Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) commitment to eliminate nearly 99% of tariffs within 10 years creates a competitive advantage for key industries such as textiles, footwear, processed agricultural products, and seafood, especially since the EU is Vietnam's third largest export market. Thanks to the preferential treatment from the EVFTA and the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans- Pacific Partnership Agreement, many agricultural and aquatic products, footwear, and fashion bags exported to Europe and Canada benefit from reduced tariffs, with some even reaching 0%, thereby creating a competitive advantage for businesses in the province. Specifically for canned tuna, Kien Giang Trading Joint Stock Company (KTC) is currently enjoying a quota of 11,500 tons with a 0% tariff rate.

However, due to the requirements regarding raw materials and rules of origin, including the fact that raw fish imported from European-flagged vessels and produced in Vietnam all enjoy the same FTA preferences, the quotas are exhausted very quickly. To maintain export growth, KTC must proactively secure orders early, even preparing order plans from the previous year to take advantage of the quotas. KTC Deputy General Director Nguyen Duy An stated: “The United States currently accounts for nearly 40% of KTC's export turnover. However, from 2026, 12 groups of harvested seafood species from Vietnam will be banned from export to the United States, due to not being recognized as equivalent to the MMPA, creating significant pressure on seafood businesses, including products such as tuna and crab. For the remaining products still allowed to be exported to this market, businesses must also meet the requirements for COA certification, making technical barriers and export procedures to the US increasingly stringent.”

Workers at Nam Viet Corporation (Navicorp) freeze pangasius fish for export. Photo: KIEU DIEM

Nam Viet Corporation (Navicorp), located in Long Xuyen ward, is one of the largest pangasius export businesses, currently operating in 70 countries and recognized by the company itself as a leading global pangasius processing and export company. Exporting to markets such as China, the EU, the US, and Latin America demonstrates the company's export strategy: not relying on a single market, but proactively diversifying risk, focusing on regions with high purchasing power and long-term growth potential.

Navicorp's Deputy General Director, Do Lap Nghiep, stated: "Navicorp has gained an advantage in the EU market thanks to the EVFTA. Tariffs on frozen Vietnamese pangasius and basa fish entering the EU have been reduced to 0%, significantly increasing the product's competitiveness compared to many competitors." Not stopping at traditional markets, Navicorp is also diversifying its output by signing a strategic cooperation agreement with a partner in Brazil in July 2025, viewing this as an opening to deeper access to the South American market and the Mercosur bloc.

Workers at TBS An Giang Joint Stock Company produce fashion bags for export. Photo: KIEU DIEM

TBS An Giang Joint Stock Company, located in Phu Hoa commune, currently has 9 factories in An Giang province, employing over 14,000 workers. It specializes in manufacturing shoes, backpacks, and handbags for many major international brands. TBS An Giang General Director Le Thanh Hai shared: “From that foundation, TBS An Giang has increased its competitiveness, boosted production, and expanded its market share. TBS An Giang has collaborated with many major brands such as Coach, Vera Bradley, Osprey, Decathlon, Skechers, Reebok… increasing its capacity to expand exports to markets with high standards.”

In 2025, the province's total export turnover is estimated to reach US$2,430 million, an increase of 18.71% compared to the same period in 2024, achieving 105.6% of the provincial target. This result demonstrates the initial effectiveness in transforming integration commitments into concrete trade growth, especially in the context of the province having just gone through a transitional period after merger, with both the management apparatus and development space being restructured. It also affirms the proactive adaptation of the province's business community in the face of many changes.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Minh Triet: “In order to support businesses in effectively exploiting tariff preferences and market expansion opportunities from FTAs, the Department of Industry and Trade has implemented many comprehensive solutions. The focus is on organizing in-depth training courses and workshops; strengthening the provision of information, forecasts, and early warnings about market fluctuations; providing specific guidance on rules of origin, technical standards, quarantine, food safety, and trade defense regulations of importing countries. The Department will coordinate with relevant units to support businesses in completing dossiers and procedures to enjoy tariff preferences in accordance with regulations.”

KIEU DIEM

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/fta-mo-duong-cho-hang-hoa-an-giang-a478504.html