Dong Thap's Lotus Industry Leads Digital Transformation in Vietnamese Agriculture

Once regarded primarily as an ornamental flower, the lotus has become a lucrative crop in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, generating profits three to four times higher than rice cultivation. By utilising every part of the plant, the province has turned its iconic lotus into a key industry worth trillions of Vietnam dong each year. According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Dang Ngoc Diep, agricultural, forestry and fishery exports fetched an estimated 35.88 billion USD in the first six months of 2026, up 6% year-on-year. The sector's GDP expanded by more than 3.8%, exceeding the government's 3.7% target. The results were underpinned by stable production, particularly in key industries. From fragmented, low-yield farming areas, Ho Chi Minh City has gradually established specialised high-tech agricultural zones. Major export products include rattan and bamboo products, sedge and wickerware, fine wooden furniture and handicrafts, ceramics, lacquerware and textiles. Many craft village products feature diverse designs and good quality, gradually enhancing their competitiveness in both domestic and international markets. An AFD-funded project in Dien Bien province aims to improve the management and efficient use of water resources and strengthen water regulation between river basins, helping secure water supplies for production and daily life while improving resilience to drought, erosion, flooding and climate change. To reach 9.5–10 billion USD, the most important thing is to strictly comply with market requirements, according to an insider. With more than 30 years of operations in Vietnam, Decathlon plans to continue investing in the country’s industrial ecosystem, working with local suppliers to increase product value while promoting innovation, technical expertise and sustainable development. Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung asked the EAEU to consider removing several obstacles to bilateral trade, with a focus on eliminating the threshold safeguard measure on Vietnamese textile and garment products and opening the Russian market further to Vietnamese fishery products. With the current trading band of +/- 5%, the ceiling rate applicable for commercial banks during the day is 26,876 VND/USD, and the floor rate 24,316 VND/USD. The phase of building the framework has passed; now is the time for implementation and results – for the two sides to take breakthrough action and elevate economic cooperation to new heights, said General Secretary and President To Lam. The Dakcheung bauxite mining and alumina processing complex project, developed by VLV, comprises clean-water, tailings and dry-stacked red-mud reservoirs, an ore-processing plant, an alumina plant, a power plant and other industrial infrastructure. Ore will be sourced from mines in Xekong and Attapeu provinces. Deputy FM Giang spoke highly of the significance of Purves’ visit in strengthening and further deepening the Vietnam - Canada Comprehensive Partnership. Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Tran Duc Thang and the delegation held talks with Moscow authorities to review implementation of the 2025-2027 cooperation programme and discuss key priorities for the new period, including urban transport, science and technology, digital transformation, trade and investment, and cultural exchanges. A number of Mexican state Veracruz businesses expressed their wish to organise a delegation to Vietnam to gain first-hand insights into the market, seek partners and explore investment and business opportunities, initially focusing on trade, energy, agriculture and tourism. Imports of meat and meat products reached more than 1.918 billion USD during the January–August period, up 26.3% from the same period last year, while fishery imports stood at 2.13 billion USD, down slightly by 1%. Stores, supermarkets, shopping malls and commercial streets are displaying a broad range of lanterns and toys across colours, designs and price segments to meet consumer demand. During the first five months of its 2026-2027 fiscal year, from April through August, Honda Vietnam sold 862,105 motorcycles, down 0.2% from the same period of the previous fiscal year. Part of TikTok’s ecosystem, the Ho Chi Minh City project has a total registered capital of 25.85 trillion VND (980 million USD), including 196 million USD in contributed capital, or 20% of total investment, with the remaining 784 million USD expected to be raised. It has a 50-year operating term and is slated to begin in November 2026. The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate at 25,591 VND/USD on September 10, down 3 VND from the previous day. Vietnam and India can achieve the target of raising bilateral trade to 25 billion USD by 2030, though ambitious, with strong determination from both sides. A scheme for 2026-2030 issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment aims to establish raw material areas managed through unified data on acreage, producers, seasons, output, quality, growing area codes and production-consumption linkages. Specifically, flight VN51 from Ho Chi Minh City to London on September 8 was diverted and landed at Frankfurt Airport in Germany. The flight was scheduled to resume its journey to London at 7:00 on September 9. Chinese investors now back 35 projects in Can Tho with registered capital of nearly 1.2 billion USD. In the first seven months of 2026, Can Tho’s exports to China hit 77.5 million USD, while imports stood at 64.7 million USD. Key exports included rice, seafood, farm produce, processed agricultural products and apparel while main imports comprised agricultural chemicals, veterinary medicines, fertilisers, chemicals, fabrics and other materials and inputs. Copyright, VietnamPlus, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Editor-in-chief, Mr. Tran Tien Duan.