Vietnam's Agricultural Products Face Urgent Need to Meet 'Green' International Standards

Vietnam's agricultural products are facing increasingly stringent technical barriers, particularly 'green' standards and traceability requirements in major markets like the European Union (EU). At a seminar on "Enhancing the Value of Agricultural Products and Food in Sustainable Supply Chains" held on September 4th in Ho Chi Minh City, experts and domestic and international businesses shared solutions for market expansion and enhanced international competitiveness. The role of agricultural exports is growing in Vietnam's economy, with annual export revenues reaching tens of billions of US dollars, contributing positively to GDP growth and trade balance. Vietnam is among the world's leading exporters of rice, coffee, cashews, pepper, and seafood, playing a significant role in global food security. Despite economic challenges and market downturns, the agricultural sector has demonstrated resilience, with agricultural exports showing breakthrough growth and positive shifts in market and product structure. Vietnam's export strategy is moving from "consuming what we have" to "supplying what the market needs," and from exporting volume to exporting value and brand reputation. However, new green standards and sustainability requirements, such as the EU's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and regulations against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, pose significant challenges. Mr. Sven Dekker, a representative from Food Europe BV in the Netherlands, emphasized that ensuring a sustainable supply chain "from seed to table" is key to accessing the European market. Meanwhile, as Vietnam diversifies its markets to reduce reliance on traditional partners, the Middle East is emerging as a promising new market with substantial import potential. Representatives from major UAE corporations like Lulu Group and Lootah Group expressed high regard for Vietnam's supply capacity and significant expectations from the Vietnamese market. Vietnamese businesses, such as Vegetexco (Vegetables and Agricultural Products Corporation), acknowledge the immense challenges from international markets but see them as strong motivators for innovation and restructuring export markets towards diversification and sustainability, which they believe is the key for Vietnamese agricultural products to reach further in the global arena. The seminar, part of the Viet Nam International Sourcing 2026 event series, aimed not only to update market information but more importantly to build a channel for substantive interaction and dialogue between regulatory agencies and the business community. It also provided an opportunity for Vietnamese and international businesses to exchange information, understand each other's needs, and explore new cooperation opportunities. According to customs data, Vietnam's agricultural and aquatic product exports reached USD 41.27 billion in 2025, an increase of 16.1% compared to 2024, accounting for 8.7% of the country's total export turnover. In the first seven months of 2026, exports in this category continued their growth momentum, reaching USD 24.58 billion, a 4.2% increase year-on-year.