Chances for Vietnam farm produce to strengthen position in global market: insiders

Agro-forestry-fishery exports fetched about 8 billion USD in the two months, posting a year-on-year surge of 20.9 percent (Illustrative photo: VNA)

Vietnam’s farm exports posted positive growth in the first two months of this year and are hoped to maintain an upward trend in the coming time.

Agro-forestry-fishery exports fetched about 8 billion USD in the two months, posting a year-on-year surge of 20.9 percent.

Shipments of key farm produce surpassed 3.2 billion USD, up 10.2 percent. Of note, export values of pepper soared 43.8 percent, coffee 35.5 percent, and rice 22.3 percent.

Vietnamese rice’s export prices have been on the increase thanks to growing demand.

Exporters are advised to fine-tune the production chain and improve product quality and origin tracing.

Vietnamese rice’s export prices have been on the increase thanks to growing demand. (Photo: VNA)

According to the Vietnam Food Association, rice exports to members of the European Union (EU) are likely to surge in the coming time. In 2021, Vietnam did not exceed the tariff quota of 80,000 tonnes in which the import duty will be zero under the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), amid a rising demand for the grain in Europe.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade predicts that the export of rice, coffee, cashew nuts, rubber and vegetables will greatly contribute to the total farm export revenues to the EU this year.

Meanwhile, the export value of Vietnamese coffee in January-February surged 35.6 percent per tonne against the same period last year.

Ample room remains for Vietnam’s agro-forestry-fishery exports to the US, as shipments from the Southeast Asian country currently account for about 2 percent of the US’s imports.

Recently, the Chinese side allowed the import of Vietnamese fresh chilies again, together with nine fruits and jelly.

The agricultural sector is exerting efforts to bolster export through official channels to China and seek new markets, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien.

The sector needs to speed up the issuance of cultivation zone codes and restructuring so as to meet export requirements, he added./.