Lacking processing technology, expanding agricultural export markets is still difficult

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Currently, Vietnam has more than 10 product groups with an export turnover of over 1 billion USD such as vegetables, rice, coffee, cashew nuts, pepper, wooden furniture... These are all key production and export products.

Vietnam's agricultural, forestry and fishery products are present in 200 countries and territories around the world, including demanding markets such as the US, Europe (EU), Japan... Of which, the EU is the potential market for many key agricultural export products of Vietnam, especially since the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) was signed.

According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in the first 8 months of 2023, the value of Vietnam's agricultural, forestry and fishery export turnover reached 33.21 billion USD, down 9.5% over the same period last year. However, the agricultural product group still had positive growth, reaching 16.9 billion USD, an increase of 11.5%.

In particular, the fruit and vegetable industry is the "bright spot" when it brings Vietnam 3.55 billion USD, an increase of 61.8% over the same period last year, aiming to reach 5 billion USD in 2023. Particularly for In the European market, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export turnover in the first 7 months of 2023 will reach 139.3 million USD.

In addition, Vietnam's spice export turnover in the first 8 months of 2023 will reach over 1 billion USD, an increase of more than 7% over the same period in 2022. Thereby, Vietnam is currently one of the strong spice exporting countries with a leading position in the world in the production and export of pepper and cinnamon; ranks 2nd in the world in exporting star anise. There are also other spices that also occupy an important position such as chili, cloves, ginger, cardamom...

Workshop: Applying technology - Innovation to enhance export capacity for Vietnam's agricultural industry. Photo: H.D

Speaking at the Workshop: Applying technology - Innovation to enhance export capacity for Vietnam's agricultural industry organized by the Vietnam Confederation of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on September 27, Ms. Tran Thi Lan Anh, General Secretary of VCCI, said that Vietnam has signed many FTAs with most developed economic regions. This is an opportunity for Vietnam to expand market development, affirming its position, potential and strengths in the agricultural, forestry and fishery industry.

Ms. Lan Anh also stated that the export value of Vietnam's agricultural and aquatic products is continuously growing, contributing significantly to the total export value of goods, making an important contribution to promoting the development of commodity agriculture and the development of agricultural products. economic development of the country.

Talking more about this issue, Dr. Nguyen Van Hoi, Director of the Institute for Industry and Trade Strategy and Policy Research, said that through international economic integration, promoting liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, Vietnam has attracted More and more of the world's leading multinational companies are investing in production and business in Vietnam, contributing to supplementing capital resources, promoting technology transfer, and enhancing equipment innovation for Vietnam's agricultural product exports.

However, experts and businesses also stated the reality that Vietnam's agricultural exports are mainly raw due to lack of processing and preservation technology; it is not yet guaranteed to meet the processes, regulations, and standards of the import market... Therefore, expanding Vietnam's agricultural export market faces certain difficulties and challenges.

Therefore, to enhance the export capacity of Vietnam's agricultural industry, the VCCI Secretary General believes that there is a need for synchronous solutions to support the entire industry in chain development, especially supporting agricultural enterprises to apply science, technology, innovation, and digitalization in agricultural production and processing to ensure product quality standards.

In addition, businesses are recommended to seek support programs from domestic and foreign organizations. For example, the Project on Strengthening Export Capacity for Small and Medium Enterprises in Vietnam's Spices, Vegetables and Fruits Industry (SFV-Export) is funded by the EU and implemented in coordination between VCCI and Oxfam in Vietnam; or the project "Promoting bilateral trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and important, strategic partner countries"... is implemented with the goal of supporting businesses to increase added value, build sustainable brand and enhance export capacity, especially to key markets for agricultural businesses.