Agricultural exports face 5 major challenges.

According to agricultural expert Hoang Trong Thuy, Vietnam's agricultural exports are facing five major challenges related to raw material prices, transportation costs, import policies, quality standards, and tightened spending.

Speaking at the "Agricultural Restructuring" forum on August 28th, Ms. Cao Xuan Thu Van, President of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, stated that in the first nearly eight months of 2024, agricultural, forestry, and fisheries production nationwide continued to show many positive signs. This partly confirms that agricultural restructuring is on the right track.

This includes a significant contribution from the cooperative economic sector, with over 20,000 agricultural cooperatives and tens of thousands of agricultural cooperative groups. Currently, over 4,000 cooperatives nationwide are participating in value chain linkages, accounting for nearly 13% of the total number of cooperatives.

However, one of the biggest limitations is the weak linkage between actors within the same stage, as well as between stages in the value chain. Linkages between cooperatives and associations in some sectors are only seasonal and lack a shared risk-benefit dynamic.

Delegates attending the forum identified challenges and discussed solutions for developing agricultural value chains.

"To best promote the consumption of agricultural products and enhance the value of Vietnamese agricultural products, the efficient and sustainable development of agricultural value chains is a vital issue in agricultural restructuring," Ms. Van emphasized.

Regarding tax and credit policies, Mr. Nguyen Van Phung, former Deputy Director of the Tax Policy Department (Ministry of Finance), pointed out that this is one of the major obstacles for farmers, businesses, and agricultural cooperatives. The shortcomings of tax policies in the agricultural sector discourage large economic groups from raising capital and investing to participate in agricultural value chain linkages.

According to agricultural expert Hoang Trong Thuy, Vietnam's agricultural exports are facing five major challenges: rising input costs; transportation and logistics costs showing no signs of decreasing; and constantly changing import policies of other countries.

At the same time, the demand for quality standards for agricultural products is increasing. Foreign consumers tend to tighten their spending due to inflationary pressures.

The company's booth showcased its products within the framework of the forum.

To boost agricultural exports, Mr. Thuy recommended increasing exports of 10 key agricultural products that already have stable markets. He also suggested implementing the protocol on exporting frozen durian, fresh coconut, and farmed crocodiles to the Chinese market.

At the same time, it is necessary to decisively remove the EU's IUU "yellow card" on seafood as soon as possible. Strongly develop warehousing infrastructure and logistics systems, including rail and sea transport. Improve sustainable agricultural production processes and transparency in agricultural product traceability to meet the requirements of importers.

Emphasizing six solutions for the effective and sustainable development of agricultural value chains in the coming period, Mr. Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, stated that it is necessary to restructure the agricultural sector in a more substantive and effective way through the transformation of crop and livestock structures.

Consider the application of high technology in agricultural production as one of the key solutions to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the agricultural value chain. Strengthen close linkages between actors in the agricultural value chain from production and processing to consumption. Expand and develop agricultural product markets both domestically and internationally.

"Sustainable agricultural development must go hand in hand with environmental protection and the rational use of natural resources. Measures such as the use of biological fertilizers and pesticides, efficient water management and utilization, and protection of land and biodiversity need to be widely applied," Mr. Tien emphasized.

Hoai Anh

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/kinh-te/xuat-khau-nong-san-doi-dien-5-thach-thuc-lon/20240828085622969