Vietnam - United States: Strengthening agricultural trade and developing production capacity

(Chinhphu.vn) - The visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has achieved substantial results, not only reflected in impressive trade figures but also laid the foundation for sustainable and comprehensive cooperation, for the benefit of farmers and consumers of both countries, contributing to ensuring global food security.

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy (far right) discussed with agricultural enterprises in Ohio about the orientation and standards for importing agricultural products from the United States to Vietnam - Photo of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment

Accelerating agricultural tariff negotiations with the United States

June 4 (US time) – The delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and agricultural associations and businesses continued their visit to Columbus, Ohio, USA. During the visit, Ohio Minister of Agriculture Brian Baldridge had a bilateral meeting with Minister Do Duc Duy.

According to Mr. Baldridge, Vietnam - the United States in general and Vietnam - Ohio in particular are complementary to each other, not directly competing between goods, especially in agricultural trade. Ohio recognizes Vietnam's potential as well as room to promote bilateral trade.

"We are proud to work with Vietnamese agricultural partners to open new opportunities for Ohio farmers, agribusinesses and rural communities," the head of Ohio's agriculture department emphasized.

Notably, the two Ministers agreed to make proposals to the two governments to have appropriate policies to avoid disrupting the supply chain.

"Not imposing a reciprocal tax of up to 46% will not only benefit Vietnamese producers and farmers, but also create jobs for many workers in the US supply chain. US consumers will also benefit from using high-quality, reasonably priced agricultural products and food from Vietnam," Minister Do Duc Duy affirmed.

Next, the Vietnam - Ohio Agricultural Business Connection Forum took place in a lively and substantive manner. The parties discussed and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the import of animal feed ingredients from Ohio, with the total value of the MoUs signed this afternoon reaching over 600 million USD. Many Vietnamese businesses also connected with Ohio partners to promote the import of items such as raw wood, fruits and meat.

The recently signed trade agreements between Vietnamese businesses and the state of Ohio have received high praise from organizations representing farmers and the agricultural industry in the United States.

"Vietnam continues to be a reliable and growing export market and partnerships like this help ensure we can continue to deliver high-quality Ohio-grown products to the world," said Patty Mann, president of the Ohio Corn Trade Association.

The timing of the agreements is significant for Ohio’s agricultural economy, as local producers face challenges such as rising production costs, falling commodity prices and the urgent need to expand into new markets for key products such as soybeans, grains, meat, lumber and many other agricultural products.

Previously, in Iowa on June 2, Vietnamese businesses signed four important memorandums of understanding, with the total value of agricultural imports from US businesses reaching 800 million USD. In addition, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine established a dialogue channel with the Iowa Pork Producers Association, encouraging public-private cooperation between the two countries.

Mr. Mike Naig - Secretary of Agriculture of Iowa State commented: "Vietnam has shown a strong commitment to purchasing agricultural products, from dried distillers grains, corn, soybeans to ethanol. This is not only a story of new deals, but also an effort to deepen the relationship between businesses and organizations. We appreciate that very much".

At the Vietnam - Ohio Business Connection Talk (June 4), with the participation of 50 businesses from each side, delegates agreed that there is still much room to expand cooperation in the agricultural sector, especially agricultural trade. Minister Do Duc Duy emphasized: "The important goal of today's Forum, as well as the mission throughout the economic relations between the two countries, is to move towards a more balanced trade balance."

In that spirit, the Vietnamese side has shared information with US businesses and distributors, especially in the state of Ohio. This is an opportunity to promote the export of key products of the state that are of interest to the Vietnamese market such as corn, soybeans, raw materials for animal feed production and lumber.

Ms. Lyndsey Erb - Director of Industry Relations, US Soybean Export Council (USSEC) shared: "We closely follow the industrialization and modernization process in Vietnam, especially the impressive growth of the aquaculture industry. Vietnam has risen to the fourth position in the world in aquaculture production. It is estimated that the demand for soybean meal and animal feed products is also forecast to double by 2028".

"When USGC opened its first representative office in Ho Chi Minh City in 1994, we could not have imagined that the cooperative relationship between the two sides would develop as strongly and deeply as it has today. Together, we are building a more secure food future for both countries," said Ms. Stella Qian - Director of Global Strategy of the US Grains Council (USGC).

Businesses and associations expressed their hope that the Vietnamese and US governments would continue to facilitate bilateral trade and connect mutually complementary agricultural supply chains. The common goal is to benefit millions of farmers and consumers in the two countries, contributing to efforts to ensure global food security.

In fact, in parallel with trade promotion activities, Vietnam also focuses on technical cooperation to meet the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards and food safety standards of the US market.

On the same day, June 4, the Vietnam SPS Office had a working session with the Partners of the Americas of the United States.

For the United States, SPS is not just a technical barrier. It is a system of "guards" of the market with one goal: to protect people's health, to be transparent, based on scientific evidence and non-discriminatory. The United States considers SPS a mandatory barrier, but also a rule of fair play.

Dr. Ngo Xuan Nam - Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office - affirmed that Vietnam has never stood on the sidelines of SPS commitments. Since joining the WTO, Vietnam has seriously implemented the Agreement on SPS measures, and proactively internalized SPS commitments in a series of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.

Immediately afterwards, on the morning of June 5, SPS Vietnam Office welcomed Ms. Bagie Sherchand, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Joint Ventures (NCBA CLUSA).

For Ms. Bagie, SPS is more than a set of standards or a risk management tool. It is a link between two countries on the Pacific Ocean that share responsibility for global public health. And the starting point is not the fruit containers waiting at the port, but the hands on the farm, where there are many information and capacity gaps.

Ms. Bagie said she is ready to support Vietnam to access successful early warning models in the United States and some countries with similar interests, where information is transmitted via mobile applications and automatic messaging systems to cooperatives. "The most important thing is that farmers understand the risks before the risks become reality," she emphasized.

Do Huong

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/viet-nam-hoa-ky-tang-cuong-giao-thuong-nong-san-va-phat-trien-nang-luc-san-xuat-102250606093115845.htm