Cold storage facilities for agricultural and aquatic product exports are still in surplus in some areas and shortage in others.

Along with the strong growth of agricultural and aquatic product exports, cold storage is emerging as a strategic infrastructure component of the value chain.

The New Era Cold Storage Facility (NECS) in Tay Ninh , with its modern scale and convenient connection to the expressway and seaport, contributes to the completion of cold logistics infrastructure for the southern region.

However, according to experts, the reality is that Vietnam's cold storage system is characterized by a high concentration of facilities in some areas and scarcity of raw materials in others. This imbalance not only increases logistics costs but also poses a significant challenge to the goal of enhancing competitiveness and realizing the ambition of exporting $100 billion by 2030.

The "bottleneck" in raw material supply

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung, Chairman of the Board of Directors of New Era Cold Storage (NECS) (Phu An Thanh Industrial Park, Ben Luc Commune, Tay Ninh Province), believes that logistics and cold storage are the "key links" that help businesses proactively stockpile goods, reduce pressure to sell quickly, save costs, and improve export quality, especially in the context of major markets tightening technical standards and carbon emission requirements.

However, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung also frankly acknowledged that the current cold storage system is unevenly distributed. Demand is very high, but cold storage facilities are mainly concentrated in the South, especially in Tay Ninh (formerly Long An ) – an area with the advantage of highway and seaport connections. Thanks to its favorable location, seafood businesses from the Mekong Delta, Southeast Vietnam, and the Central Highlands often bring their goods here for cold storage, making this area a major hub for cold storage infrastructure.

This creates a paradox: areas with infrastructure experience localized overcapacity, while many raw material producing regions lack on-site cold storage. Seafood and vegetables from the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta must be transported over long distances for preservation, increasing logistics costs, risks of spoilage, and emissions throughout the supply chain.

The imbalance in cold storage infrastructure is clearly evident in the fruit and vegetable industry. Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), stated: The demand for cold storage is rapidly increasing along with the trend of deep processing and export of frozen products.

However, many large-scale production areas, especially in the Central Highlands, still lack on-site cold storage facilities. After harvesting, fruits and vegetables have to be transported to distant provinces for freezing, increasing transportation costs and spoilage rates. This not only affects business profits but also reduces the competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural products in the international market.

According to Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, cold storage facilities should be located directly in raw material areas with relatively complete transportation and energy infrastructure, in order to reduce costs, minimize losses, and achieve the highest efficiency. Cold storage cannot be concentrated only around major logistics routes or areas near seaports, but must be closely integrated with the agricultural production map.

A delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment conducted a survey and assessment of the effectiveness and capacity of the New Era Cold Storage Facility (NECS) in Tay Ninh province to meet the needs for preserving and exporting agricultural and aquatic products.

Industry associations also argue that the issue is not simply a matter of insufficient or excess overall capacity, but rather a shortage in the right places and an excess in the wrong places. If this imbalance is not resolved, logistics costs – which account for a high proportion of export prices – will continue to be a bottleneck.

Towards becoming a cold logistics hub.

In the context of spatial development restructuring, Tay Ninh, after its merger, is aiming to become a modern industrial, urban, and service center of the region. According to Mr. Huynh Van Son, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tay Ninh province, the emergence and development of large-scale logistics projects is evidence of this transformation.

The New Era Cold Storage Facility (NECS) in the province is considered one of the exemplary projects. With an automated cold storage system capable of holding over 110,000 pallets, the project is not only a modern goods storage facility but also demonstrates bold investment, pioneering technology application, and a determination to build a comprehensive logistics ecosystem right here in Vietnam.

Mr. Huynh Van Son emphasized that this is not only a source of pride for the enterprise but also for the province, contributing to affirming the international competitiveness of Vietnamese businesses. The project opens up strong opportunities for the export of agricultural and aquatic products – key sectors of the province and the Southern economic region; while also creating more jobs, contributing positively to local economic growth and elevating Tay Ninh's logistics position on the regional map.

From a strategic perspective, the province aims to become a cold logistics hub, closely connected to a network of cold storage facilities and strategically located seaports. However, the challenge lies not only in attracting investment but also in ensuring harmonious planning, avoiding excessive concentration of development in certain areas while raw material regions lack adequate storage infrastructure.

During a working visit to Tay Ninh province in January 2026, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien stated that, in order to achieve the target of $100 billion by 2030, the agricultural sector cannot rely solely on expanding production, but must focus on improving quality, preservation, and deep processing – in which cold storage plays a key role.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien pointed out that the current cold storage capacity does not fully meet the needs of key export industries, and its distribution is also irrational. Cold storage facilities are concentrated in areas with transportation advantages and seaports, while many large raw material areas lack on-site storage infrastructure. As a result, businesses have to transport goods over long distances for cold storage, increasing costs and risks.

Forklifts and automated equipment operate in cold storage, optimizing loading, unloading, and storage processes, reducing logistics time and costs for businesses.

Based on that reality, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized that cold storage facilities should be considered essential infrastructure, similar to transportation or seaports. Investment in cold storage must be placed within the overall planning of raw material areas, logistics centers, and export chains, avoiding fragmented development. At the same time, cold storage facilities need to meet the requirements of green transformation and digital transformation, conforming to increasingly stringent international standards.

According to experts, digital transformation could contribute an additional 1.25% to GDP growth. If digital transformation and green transformation are combined synchronously, meeting environmental certifications and emission standards of importing markets, Vietnam can not only catch up but also rise to the group of leading countries in supplying high-quality agricultural products.

The challenge of cold storage, therefore, is not simply about increasing the number of facilities, but about proper planning, linking them to raw material sources, synchronizing with transportation and energy, and encouraging investment of appropriate scale, modern technology, and environmental friendliness. Policies supporting capital, electricity prices for cold storage, and investment incentives need to be designed to promote balanced development across regions.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/kho-lanh-cho-xuat-khau-nongthuy-san-van-noi-thua-noi-thieu-20260212114756221.htm