Vietnam Races Towards $74B Agro-Forestry-Aquatic Export Target

Vietnam is making significant strides towards its ambitious target of achieving $74 billion in agro-forestry-aquatic exports by 2026. In the first seven months of 2026, the country's total exports in this sector reached nearly $42.8 billion, marking a 7.5% increase compared to the same period last year. As of the end of July, agro-forestry-fishery exports were estimated at nearly $42.6 billion, up about 7% year-on-year and equivalent to 57.6% of the annual target. This performance underscores the sector's vital role as one of the country's economic mainstays. To sustain export growth and further expand its global market share, Vietnam is focusing on safeguarding key production areas, expanding deep processing capabilities, promoting green production, and enhancing climate resilience within its agro-forestry-fishery sector. According to the Ministry of Construction, Vietnam has around 2,500 old apartment blocks and collective housing complexes built before 1994, covering about 3 million square metres of floor space, mainly in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Of these, around 196 have been classified as severely deteriorated and unsafe. With the current trading band of +/- 5%, the ceiling rate applicable for commercial banks during the day is 26,705 VND/USD, and the floor rate 24,161 VND/USD. The 12.2ha Terminal 1 of the Da Nang International Airport, which was built at a cost of 1.34 trillion VND (51 million USD), has been overloaded since its inauguration in 2011. With the new planned area, increasing demand for passenger and cargo services will be met within the next few years. Completing the legal framework for the corporate bond market plays an important role in balancing stronger market discipline and transparency with the need to facilitate legitimate and effective fundraising activities of businesses, according to Nguyen Hoang Duong, Vice Chairman of the State Securities Commission. The northern province of Quang Ninh pulled in more than 1.095 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) during January-July, eclipsing its full-year target and cementing its reputation as a safe, attractive and reliable destination for global capital. Manufacturing and engineering posted the strongest recruitment growth, with hiring demand surging 70% year-on-year, driven by production expansion, supply chain restructuring and sustained investment inflows in high-tech manufacturing. According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), seafood exports reached nearly 1.02 billion USD in July, up 4.8% year-on-year. The figure in the first seven months of 2026 hit nearly 6.78 billion USD, an increase of 11.5% compared to the same period last year. The Petrovietnam Refining and Petrochemical Corporation (BSR) on August 5 inaugurated the construction of an additional crude oil storage tank for its Dung Quat Oil Refinery, raising the refinery's total crude oil storage capacity by 12.5% to 585,000cu.m. By translating Resolution No. 10-NQ/TW into concrete programmes and actions, Hanoi is laying a solid foundation to attract high-quality FDI, turning foreign investment not only into an economic resource but also a catalyst for innovation, productivity growth and faster, greener and more sustainable development. Infobae reported on August 4 that the Republic of Korea's LG group has expanded its advanced materials production in Vietnam by launching a new production line in the northern port city of Hai Phong. The European Union’s (EU) Steel Regulation introduces a “melt and pour” traceability rule, forcing importers to declare the country where steel was originally melted and cast, not just where final processing took place. According to a notice issued on August 4, FAS invites US universities, agricultural trade associations, and non-profit organisations to apply for this technical assistance funding to evaluate crop yields and reductions in nitrogen leaching in the US and Vietnam using US manufactured biofertilsers such as liquid fish fertiliser. More than 470 tonnes of rice grown in Cuba from Vietnam's OM5451 variety were handed over to Cuban partner GRANMAX at a ceremony in Havana on August 4, marking the first harvest delivered by Vietnamese agricultural company TBAgri under a joint Vietnam–Cuba rice production project. Discussions focused on French market demand, the development of products tailored to consumer preferences, the enhancement of business linkages, the improvement of tourism offerings' quality, and practical cooperation models. Vietnam must pivot hard from tax breaks to cost-based support. Incentives will target infrastructure, workforce training, research and development, and innovation, which directly lower investment costs and lift operational efficiency, a formula already being copied by countries competing for quality FDI. With the current trading band of +/- 5%, the ceiling rate applicable for commercial banks during the day is 26,675 VND/USD, and the floor rate 24,135 VND/USD. The SBV has proposed amendments to Decree 52/2024/ND-CP on cashless payment, allowing banks to close accounts that have remained inactive for at least three years since their last transaction unless otherwise agreed between the banks and the customers. Success will increasingly be measured by whether foreign investment brings technology, develops local talent, establishes research and development (R&D) capability, and integrates Vietnamese enterprises more deeply into global value chains, according to HSBC. According to the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance, total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue in July were estimated at 669.1 trillion VND (over 25.45 billion USD), up 0.9% from June and 14.5% year-on-year. From 00:00 on August 1 to 23:00 on August 8, 2026 (GMT+7), passengers can hunt for Eco tickets from only 0 VND (excluding taxes and fees) on all Vietjet routes at website www.vietjetair.com and the Vietjet Air app Copyright, VietnamPlus, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Editor-in-chief, Mr. Tran Tien Duan.