Promote border trade development

Le Thanh International Border Gate (CKQT) holds a strategic position in connecting traffic infrastructure and logistics to other international border gates in the region such as Bo Y (Quang Ngai), Bu Prang (Lam Dong), Hoa Lu ( Dong Nai ), Moc Bai (Tay Ninh)...

This is an important advantage for Gia Lai to become a transit center for wood, rubber, coffee, pepper, etc. exported to Cambodia and from there to ASEAN countries.

Expanding the market from Le Thanh gateway

In the 2021-2024 period, the import-export turnover of Gia Lai enterprises through the Cambodian market increased by 1.7 times, with an average growth rate of 23%/year.

From the beginning of 2025 to present, the total import-export turnover through Le Thanh international border gate is estimated to reach 205 million USD, demonstrating the great potential of this border market.

Le Thanh international border gate expands trade opportunities for Gia Lai enterprises to the ASEAN market. **Photo: Vu Thao**

According to Mr. Duong Minh Duc - Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, the structure of import and export goods between the two sides clearly shows mutual complementarity. Gia Lai mainly exports breeding animals, consumer goods, agricultural materials, and electric energy; imports cashew nuts, cassava chips, rubber, and raw agricultural products from Cambodia. This is a favorable foundation for the two sides to expand trade cooperation, towards a sustainable supply chain.

The Department of Industry and Trade has coordinated with sectors, localities and Ratanakiri province (Cambodia) to implement many practical, focused and key trade promotion activities such as: annual border market; trade conference, export promotion program; participating in the border region working group of the Ministry of Industry and Trade; working with the Department of Commerce of Ratanakiri province; participating in the border trade fair to connect businesses in the Central Highlands - Southern Laos - Northeastern Cambodia.

The border market is held annually at the Le Thanh International Border Gate Economic Zone to connect trade between Gia Lai province and Ratanakiri province (Kingdom of Cambodia). **Photo: Vu Thao**

However, Mr. Duc also frankly acknowledged that although the Cambodian market is opening up great opportunities for Gia Lai enterprises, the scale of border trade activities is still small, not commensurate with the potential.

Import and export products are not diverse; the number of enterprises participating in import and export through border gates is limited. Many enterprises do not consider Cambodia a potential market, so they lack long-term business and brand promotion strategies.

From the investment management perspective, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Trinh, Deputy Head of the Provincial Economic Zone Management Board, said: Most of the projects in the Le Thanh International Border Gate area are small in scale, mainly in the production and processing of agricultural and forestry products and trade services; primary processed products, low added value, mainly consumed in the domestic market.

Besides, the sparse population in the border communes on both sides also limits the scale of trade at the border market.

Promote exploitation of large potential

With the second largest area in the country, stretching from the highlands to the coast and a connected transportation system, Gia Lai has a large and diverse development space with potential. In addition, the abundant source of goods, combining agriculture, forestry and fishery, creates great opportunities to expand exports.

Coffee, rubber, pepper, noodles, cashew nuts, bananas, durian, passion fruit, etc., with large-scale supply, can be deeply processed, combined with seafood, wood-forestry products, and textiles to create a diverse chain of goods, meeting many market segments in Cambodia.

According to Mr. Phan Ba Kien - Director of BaKa Company Limited (Ia Hrung commune), Vietnam and Cambodia have many similarities in agricultural production. Cooperation in developing raw material areas and processing typical products will create a large source of goods for export to the ASEAN market.

“BaKa Company Limited wishes to cooperate with Cambodian partners to develop a coffee supply chain and processed products with their own identity,” Mr. Kien shared.

According to Plan No. 94/KH-UBND dated October 14, 2025, Gia Lai aims to develop modern and sustainable border trade associated with international integration. The province aims to orient Cambodia to become a key import-export market, taking advantage of the strategic location of Le Thanh International Border Gate.

Specifically, by 2030, the trade turnover of Gia Lai enterprises to the Cambodian market will reach 300 million USD, with an average growth rate of 17% in the 2025-2030 period; the trade turnover of Vietnamese enterprises through Le Thanh International Border Gate will reach 500 million USD, with an average growth rate of 16%.

The structure of key export products is clearly oriented, including: Processed seafood (fish, shrimp, dried squid, etc.); construction materials (cement, granite, unburnt bricks); processed agricultural products (cashew nuts, macadamia nuts, cereals, dried vermicelli, rice flour, rice paper, etc.); fresh fruits; poultry meat and by-products; textiles; petroleum, electricity.

Imported goods from Cambodia are mainly raw materials for processing such as raw cashew nuts, rubber latex...

Mr. Duong Minh Duc said that currently, the whole province has about 400 export enterprises (including more than 100 enterprises in the wood products industry, 40 enterprises in the garment industry, 26 enterprises in the agricultural products industry, 7 enterprises in the seafood industry...) which are forces that can directly participate in the Cambodian market, especially in product groups with competitive advantages such as processed agricultural products, construction materials, textiles, food and petroleum.

To effectively exploit the potential, the Department of Industry and Trade continues to promote trade and connect businesses with many synchronous solutions. In particular, organizing and participating in trade programs, fairs, exhibitions, connecting businesses specializing in strong industries.

Strengthening activities to promote the image and brand of Vietnamese goods, developing distribution networks, bringing goods to large supermarkets in Cambodia such as Chip Mong, Aeon mall, Bayon, Lucky...

Cooperate with major e-commerce platforms to build Vietnamese booths on Cambodian platforms and vice versa, helping to reach customers in more distant provinces, reducing dependence on traditional retail channels.

At the same time, develop a logistics system associated with the value chain of key products, attract investment in warehouses, dry ports, duty-free zones and the Le Thanh International Economic Zone Industrial Park, synchronously connect with the province's highways and seaport system...

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/thuc-day-thuong-mai-bien-gioi-phat-trien-post569900.html