Focus on developing the processing industry.

In recent years, the province has shifted from a raw material production base to a processing industry. This development orientation not only creates greater added value for key raw materials but also opens up new growth opportunities, helping businesses enhance their competitiveness.

In recent years, the province has shifted from a raw material production base to a processing industry. This development orientation not only creates greater added value for key raw materials but also opens up new growth opportunities, helping businesses enhance their competitiveness and aligning with the increasingly high demands of a green and circular economy , creating momentum for sustainable economic restructuring in the locality.

The province has the advantage of abundant and diverse agricultural and aquatic resources, which forms the foundation for the development of processing industries. Photo: CAM TRUC

Not yet commensurate with potential

According to the Department of Industry and Trade, with its strategic location in the heart of the Mekong Delta and the advantage of abundant and diverse agricultural and aquatic raw materials, the province has a foundation for the development of processing and manufacturing industries such as fisheries, coconut, fruit, and rice. According to estimates, the added value of the processing and manufacturing industry in the province in 2024 is expected to reach approximately VND 24,774 billion, accounting for 44% of the total added value of the entire industrial sector and 9.7% of the province's total GRDP.

Despite some achievements, the agricultural processing industry still faces many challenges such as: the majority of processing facilities are small-scale, use outdated technology, and have not widely applied the achievements of the 4.0 industrial revolution; the linkages between actors in the value chain are still weak; farmers produce according to trends, lack market information, leading to overproduction and price manipulation…

Meanwhile, the coconut processing industry continues to hold a significant position, accounting for 8% of the entire industry. Currently, the province has 183 enterprises processing a variety of coconut products, including more than 40 large enterprises engaged in deep processing, creating high value-added products. The estimated value of the coconut processing industry in 2025 is over 4,000 billion VND, an increase of 3.9% compared to 2024. The potential for processing in the coconut industry remains very large.

According to Mr. Tran Van Duc, General Director of Ben Tre Coconut Investment Joint Stock Company (BEINCO), 2025 will see many changes, creating challenges for the province's coconut processing industry. This is especially true in ensuring the supply of raw materials. The shortage of raw materials at the beginning of the year is a crucial issue for processing manufacturers. Due to the impact of climate change and saltwater intrusion in previous periods, coconut production has decreased significantly, leading to insufficient supply for manufacturers to maintain their supply chains…

Developing in a modern direction

According to Mr. Duc, the coconut processing industry is expected to achieve coconut export revenue of approximately 500 million USD in 2025, an increase of 2.9% compared to 2024. BEINCO, in particular, is preparing its production plan for 2026, having signed investment contracts for technology conversion to improve product quality and packaging, aiming to build and promote the image and brand of Vinh Long coconut products to the world …

Processing catfish at Go Dang Joint Stock Company.

Meanwhile, at Go Dang Seafood Joint Stock Company (An Hiep Industrial Park, Phu Tuc commune), in 2025, revenue from production, processing and trading activities is projected to reach 3,000 billion VND, an increase of 800 billion VND compared to 2024; export volume is expected to reach 45,000 tons, an increase of 7,000 tons; and export turnover is projected to reach 100 million USD, an increase of 12 million USD.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Dao, General Director, the company currently has about 50 processed products made from pangasius, clams, tilapia, and scallops. These products are exported frozen or packaged in various forms and are available in over 80 countries and territories worldwide. By 2026, the company aims to achieve a revenue of 4,000 billion VND, export revenue of 130 million USD, and invest in an additional factory in the province.

According to Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, the industry and trade sector currently has favorable conditions for linking production, trade, and market promotion, forming a unified policy chain from training, investment, production to product consumption.

Over the past period, the province has implemented a program to develop supporting industries with a total budget of over 40 billion VND, focusing on technological innovation, human resource training, supply chain connectivity, and the development of collective trademarks.

In particular, local and national industrial promotion programs have supported many businesses in applying modern machinery and equipment, especially in the fields of agricultural product and food processing and precision mechanics, helping to increase productivity by 25-30% and reduce production costs by 15% compared to before.

For the period 2025-2030, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has identified the development of agricultural and food processing industries in a modern, circular, and green direction to achieve the goal of green industry development. Simultaneously, it aims to link production with stable raw material sources; apply digital transformation, traceability, and automation of production lines.

By 2030, the value added of the processing industry will account for 70% of the total industrial production value of the province. The goal is for the province to become a center for agricultural and aquatic product processing and logistics in the Mekong Delta region by 2030, following the model of "Green Industry - Clean Agriculture - Modern E-commerce".

To ensure the province's industrial and handicraft sector develops significantly to its full potential, the Department of Industry and Trade will advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue policies supporting the development of the industry; strengthen industrial promotion efforts to support industrial and handicraft enterprises in investing in and applying advanced machinery and equipment to develop production... In addition, enterprises need to proactively invest in technological innovation, apply advanced management standards, and aim for green and sustainable production.

Text and photos: AN KHANG - CAM TRUC

Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/kinh-te/202512/tap-trung-phat-trien-nganh-cong-nghiep-che-bien-6aa057f/