Industry and Trade News May 16: Removing bottlenecks in agricultural product exports

Import and export sector

Dai Doan Ket Newspaper today, May 16, published information: " Removing bottlenecks in agricultural product exports".

Agricultural exports have continuously set new records in recent times, with many items in the top billion-dollar export list. However, the development of the agricultural export market in the first months of 2025 has shown signs of decline. By the end of April 2025, fruit and vegetable exports reached only 1.62 billion USD, down 14% over the same period last year. Notably, the export value of durian only reached 130 million USD, much lower than the same period last year. So what are the bottlenecks that need to be resolved?

Economists say that many agricultural exports, including fruits, are still mainly fresh and dependent on the Chinese market. This makes Vietnamese agricultural products vulnerable to policy changes or trade barriers from importing countries. Therefore, market diversification is an urgent requirement.

The role of enterprises is very important in signing contracts to link and consume products, contributing to stabilizing the agricultural product consumption market.

The People's Police newspaper reported: " Urgently complete regulations on appraisal and testing of durian"

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MARD), in the first months of 2025, durian exports to China recorded a serious decline, reaching only about 20% of the set plan. With the item considered the mainstay of fruit and vegetable exports facing difficulties, the urgent task now is to tighten quality control as well as issue more specific regulations on growing area codes, packaging facilities, and testing and appraisal.

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Duc Duy said: "This is a key export product to a key market, so we must urgently and quickly complete the legal basis, regulations, standards, processes and procedures. Since it is a key product, we must treat it like a key product." Perhaps there should be more durian quality control rooms to more strictly control the quality before exporting, minimizing the situation of turning around at the border gate to sell at rescue prices domestically.

The website vnbusiness.vn posted the information: " Lychee farmers are excited because of the good harvest and good prices"

At this time, lychee growing areas are bustling to harvest lychees early with the highest price of up to 100,000 VND/kg. This year, lychee is forecast to have a good crop and high prices, so lychee growers are excited and ready for the harvest. In Thanh Ha district, Hai Duong province, these days, some households have harvested white egg lychees. White egg lychees have a fragrant taste, thick flesh, large, juicy fruit. The yield of this type of lychee is not as large as that of pink, gai, hybrid and main-season lychees. According to local authorities, to achieve the highest quality, white egg lychees will be harvested at the right time next week. Because this type of lychee has a small yield and is harvested the earliest, it has a high selling price. At the gardens, many regular customers have pre-ordered at 100,000 VND/kg, about 40,000 VND/kg higher than the main-season lychee. In addition to Hai Duong, Bac Giang and Dak Lak are also large-scale lychee growing areas and are currently harvesting.

Nhan Dan Newspaper reported: "Connecting Vietnamese goods to the modern distribution system of SATRA"

On May 15, the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) coordinated with Saigon Trading Group - One Member Limited Liability Company (SATRA) to organize the "Trade Connection Week and Vietnamese Product Introduction Space at SATRA's Modern Distribution System in 2025".

The program takes place continuously for 4 days (until May 18) at SATRA Vo Van Kiet Trade Center (Centre Mall Vo Van Kiet), District 6, Ho Chi Minh City; gathering nearly 50 domestic enterprises to participate in displaying and introducing nearly 500 product samples in many industries such as: food, foodstuff, handicrafts, cosmetics, household goods, textiles, leather and footwear... Most of the products have achieved prestigious quality certifications such as OCOP, Halal, VietGAP, GlobalGAP, HACCP, along with key industrial products, Golden Brand products and specialties of Ho Chi Minh City. Within the framework of the program, more than 150 domestic enterprises will directly trade and exchange with SATRA's industry group leaders to find ways to bring goods into SATRA's modern distribution system.

Industrial sector

Hanoi newspaper recently published the news: "Vietnam's auto market is the fastest growing in Southeast Asia"

International media reports that Vietnam's auto market is witnessing the fastest growth rate in the region, thanks to its strong economic development. According to Nikkei, the five largest auto markets in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, sold 732,898 vehicles in the first three months of this year, down 1.7% compared to the same period last year. However, the number of cars sold in Vietnam increased by 24%.

In April, the situation "recurred" when Vietnam consumed 29,585 cars, up 21% over the same period last year. This level is much higher than Indonesia (5%), Malaysia (4.4%), although these are the two largest automobile markets in ASEAN (consumed 51,205 cars and 65,200 cars respectively last month). Experts say that the "rapid" growth rate of the domestic automobile market is mainly due to the strong economic development. With a stable growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) and an expanding middle class, the demand for personal car ownership in Vietnam is increasing, especially small and medium-sized cars.

E-commerce sector

Thesaigontimes.vn magazine published information: "ASEAN e-commerce is expected to reach sales of 410 billion dollars by 2030".

E-commerce in Southeast Asia (ASEAN) will be profitable by 2024 and sales in the region are expected to grow to US$410 billion by 2030, according to a report by Singapore's DBS Bank on May 14. ASEAN e-commerce sales reached US$184 billion last year and are expected to more than double to US$410 billion by the end of the current decade, with a compound annual growth rate of 14% over the period, the report noted. Groceries are expected to account for about 90% of total sales, while food delivery services account for the rest.

The report, the first in a series of DBS reports exploring Asia’s digital economy, was compiled in partnership with data and market intelligence firm Cube. The report notes that e-commerce sales in the region have now grown dozens of times from $4 billion in 2012 as more consumers turn to online shopping as their preferred method of purchase.

Industry and Trade Newspaper

Source: https://congthuong.vn/tin-cong-thuong-165-go-diem-nghen-xuat-khau-nong-san-387917.html