Deputy PM calls for faster procedures to boost AFF exports

On May 8, in line with the Government's task, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment chaired and coordinated with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to organize the "Conference on Promoting agricultural, forestry, and fishery exports to ensure the export growth target in 2026."

The conference aims to comprehensively assess the production, processing, and export of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products over the past period, identify advantages and challenges, reach consensus on orientations, and propose solutions to promote sustainable export growth. It also seeks to ensure the successful achievement of the 2026 export growth target and contribute to the realization of the economy’s double-digit growth objective.

In his opening remarks at the conference, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trinh Viet Hung stated that despite challenges arising from the conflict in the Middle East, the agriculture and environment sector has implemented various adaptive solutions since the beginning of 2026, while accelerating exports to Asian, European, and Oceanian markets in order to maintain export growth.

In the first four months of 2026, total agricultural, forestry, and fishery export turnover was estimated at USD 23.04 billion, up 5.4% compared to the same period in 2025. Imports reached USD 17.65 billion, up 12% year-on-year, while the trade balance remained in surplus.

To achieve these results, the sector has focused on promptly directing the development of practical mechanisms and policies; reviewing and cutting numerous administrative procedures; implementing decentralization and delegation of authority in the agriculture and environment sectors to facilitate people and businesses; reorganizing production in line with market demand, with businesses placed at the center; and creating a favorable environment to attract investment in agriculture and rural areas. These efforts have helped strengthen farmers’ confidence in the sector’s development.

Challenges that need to be addressed

Although agricultural, forestry, and fishery exports have continued to grow in the first months of this year, export activities are still facing significant difficulties and obstacles. Therefore, removing these barriers is considered one of the key drivers of export growth.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association, said that to achieve the USD 10 billion target for fruit and vegetable exports, urgent solutions are needed in 2026.

First, it is necessary to decisively address product quality issues and end the situation in which exported goods contain prohibited-substance residues that exceed regulatory limits. He called on the authorities to strictly control the issuance of planting area codes, strengthen post-inspection activities, and impose strict penalties for fraudulent practices to protect the reputation of the national brand. He also emphasized the need to improve the capacity and working methods of testing and inspection units to provide businesses with faster, more accurate results at reasonable cost.

Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), proposed focusing on three key areas to be addressed: institutional reform and the reduction of compliance costs; the development of aquatic raw materials for export processing; and market expansion.

Mr. Do Ha Nam, Chairman of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), stated that Vietnam’s two largest rice export markets, China and the Philippines, are still managing imports through policy regulations. Specifically, China continues to regulate rice imports through quotas and a list of approved exporters, with around 40 Vietnamese enterprises currently authorized to export rice to this market. Meanwhile, the Philippines manages imports through SPS licensing mechanisms and rice import quota declarations.

The VFA recommended that the Government and relevant ministries continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China and the Philippines to create more favorable conditions for rice trade between the parties.

Regarding the implementation of China’s GACC Decree 248, Ms. Hoang Thi Lien, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association, proposed that agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment enhance mechanisms to proactively, regularly, and promptly update and exchange information with Chinese authorities on any changes affecting exporting enterprises.

Specifically, she suggested establishing focal points or monitoring systems to continuously update important information such as company names, headquarters addresses, legal representatives, contact details, business registration changes, or administrative boundary adjustments, and promptly transmit such information to the Chinese Customs management system.

According to her, synchronized and continuous updates are particularly important to ensure consistency between domestic data and information on China’s CIFER registration system, thereby minimizing risks such as information discrepancy warnings, suspension of registration codes, customs clearance delays, or disruptions to export activities.

Strengthening trade promotion and expanding markets

Expanding export markets is considered one of the leading solutions to promote agricultural, forestry, and fishery exports in 2026.

Regarding fruits and vegetables, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung proposed that relevant ministries and sectors continue to accelerate negotiations to open markets for potential fruit products such as pineapple, avocado, custard apple, and wax apple. He also called for prioritizing support to help businesses access preferential transport channels, especially air freight services for high-value fruits with short shelf lives, while further promoting digital trade and cross-border e-commerce.

For rice exports, Mr. Do Ha Nam suggested continued support for expanding export markets, particularly in Africa, which still holds significant potential for Vietnamese rice in the coming years.

Representatives of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association recommended strengthening trade promotion efforts to align with business needs. For overseas markets, they emphasized closer coordination with industry associations to encourage enterprises to participate in business matching, promotional activities, and market expansion initiatives.

In his directive remarks at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung stated that the conference had identified several core issues that are both challenges and opportunities for production and exports in the remaining months of the year, with the aim of achieving the agricultural, forestry, and fishery export target and contributing to the economy’s double-digit growth target in 2026.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the target of more than USD 74 billion in agricultural, forestry, and fishery exports in 2026 remains unchanged, and every effort must be made to achieve it. Regarding urgent measures to facilitate exports this year, he stressed that any unnecessary procedures that can be removed must be eliminated without delay.

The Deputy Prime Minister expressed confidence that: "Through this conference, with the attention, direction, and support of Party and Government leaders for the agriculture and environment sector, together with the determination and efforts of the entire sector, the active participation and strong support of ministries and agencies, and the decisive implementation by local authorities, the business community, and farmers, we will certainly achieve the target of over USD 74.2 billion in agricultural, forestry, and fishery exports in 2026, thereby contributing to the economy’s double-digit growth target."