Five markets, one strategy: Toward US $100 billion in agricultural exports

The mindset of a new era agricultural envoy

In the past, envoys carried gifts to establish diplomatic ties. Today, as agricultural attachés, we carry “questions”, questions about the preferences of 1.4 billion consumers and about how Vietnamese agricultural products can not only enter the market but also maintain their position while elevating their value and brand.

Thanks to geographical proximity and longstanding trade ties, China has become one of Vietnam’s largest agricultural import markets. Key exports including fruits and vegetables, seafood, coffee, rubber, and cassava are viewed as major growth drivers and hold priority positions in Vietnam’s export expansion strategy for the Chinese market.

Notably, Party General Secretary To Lam’s recent visit to China has opened unprecedented opportunities. Commitments on smart border gates, high-speed railways, and modern logistics centers are transforming transportation bottlenecks into competitive advantages in both speed and cost.

However, opportunity always comes with challenges. Technical barriers are becoming increasingly stringent, ranging from plant quarantine and food safety requirements to packaging, labeling, and traceability standards. Competition from regional exporters, especially ASEAN countries, is also intensifying.

In this context, Vietnamese agricultural products can no longer rely solely on natural advantages or large output volumes. Instead, they must establish their position through consistent quality, clear branding, and the flexibility to meet evolving market demands.

As Vietnam works toward its goal of US$100 billion in agricultural exports by 2030, China has been identified as one of the most important markets for increasing both market share and export value alongside broader market diversification efforts.

From that reality, we recognize that the mission of an agricultural attaché carries responsibilities far beyond trade promotion or arranging meetings. We are here to solve market challenges, studying consumption trends, updating policy developments, identifying technical barriers early, and supporting the timely resolution of export-related difficulties.

Every piece of information gathered and every market shift identified becomes valuable data that can be translated into concrete recommendations for domestic businesses and producers.

That is also the message I, as Agricultural Attaché to China, would like to send to everyone accompanying Vietnamese agriculture today. We hope to continue receiving strong support and regular engagement from home.

Dr. Do Quang Tung - Agricultural Attaché to ChinaEmail: tung@mae.gov.vn

From “pilot projects” to large-scale expansion

Vietnam is currently one of South Korea’s key ODA partners in agriculture, while South Korea remains one of Vietnam’s leading trade and investment partners.

In 2025, bilateral trade reached US$89.5 billion, up 9.6% from the previous year. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, trade turnover climbed to US$26.9 billion, soaring 30% year-on-year. Agricultural products still account for a relatively modest share, but they are among the fastest-growing and most dynamic sectors, playing an important role in the roadmap toward the two countries’ goal of US$150 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.

Yet market opportunities come with strict technical standards. South Korea maintains rigorous requirements for quarantine, food safety, and traceability. Without synchronized development in growing areas, planting-area codes, packing facilities, cold-chain logistics, and quality control, market opportunities are unlikely to translate into stable orders.

An attaché cannot simply act as a “mail carrier” transferring documents and waiting for results. In reality, every successful shipment requires a fully coordinated and integrated system.

Domestically, Vietnam needs stable systems ranging from production zones to traceability. Overseas, agricultural attachés serve both as “pathfinders” negotiating the removal of technical bottlenecks and as early-warning mechanisms connecting exporters with local distribution networks. Businesses, meanwhile, must have the vision and confidence to invest in deep processing and move beyond existing trade foundations.

These three links must function in harmony. If one link is missing, the entire chain is disrupted.

When regulators, attachés, and businesses work together effectively, every shipment placed on the shelves of international supermarkets such as Lotte Mart becomes proof of a Vietnamese agricultural sector that is transparent, compliant with global standards, and aligned with community responsibilities, including Net-Zero commitments.

Ultimately, the goal is to build a professional agricultural sector that embraces cooperation and global technology to enrich farmers and elevate the position of Vietnamese agricultural products.

Today’s generation no longer crosses war-torn fields, but we are standing together on highly competitive “fields of integration.” Solidarity between stakeholders at home and abroad is a form of soft power that no technical barrier can stop.

Master Bui Hai Nam — Agricultural Attaché to South KoreaEmail: bhnam2@mae.gov.vn; bhnam79@gmail.com

Going abroad to elevate Vietnamese agriculture

Trade attachés mainly gather information on buying and selling demand in host countries and connect businesses accordingly. Agricultural attachés, however, must go one step further by assessing market potential and participating as sector specialists capable of advising businesses on suitable solutions.

Agricultural attachés need extensive field visits and direct exposure to agricultural production activities. Our mission is not simply to market products but also to learn agricultural philosophies and practices, thereby helping businesses access technology solutions and production know-how.

The hope is that such engagement can open new avenues for cooperation, generate new business deals, create new enterprises, and even give rise to entirely new agricultural sectors.

Vietnam should learn from countries with advanced agricultural systems such as Japan, particularly in organizing production and maximizing the strength of collective economic models, especially cooperatives.

Japanese farmers understand how to balance output and quality while building distinctive agricultural brands that maximize value and economic returns.

We hope to receive trust and concrete “assignments” from stakeholders at home. Those pioneering abroad always need a strong support network behind them, built on public-private cooperation.

This includes local governments planning production according to market demand and developing geographical indications; ministries and agencies supporting national trade promotion programs and information processing; research institutes and universities contributing R&D capacity; and proactive participation from businesses and startup centers.

Agriculture has unique characteristics. It must simultaneously ensure food security while pursuing green and sustainable development goals. Therefore, rapid growth should not be expected immediately in the early years. Instead, focus should be placed on medium- and long-term growth and on creating value-added factors rather than concentrating solely on export turnover or GDP figures.

With a spirit of learning, connection, and partnership, we hope to help Vietnamese agricultural products not only go farther, but also rise higher in quality, branding, and value.

Vu Cuong — Agricultural Attaché to JapanEmail: vcuong@mae.gov.vn

Reducing barriers, building trust

The United States remains the world’s largest economy, with GDP of roughly US$27 trillion and annual food expenditures estimated at US$2.5-2.6 trillion, nearly 60% of which is spent on food services. Meanwhile, retail e-commerce sales have surpassed US$1.2 trillion, accounting for more than 16% of total retail sales.

This demonstrates that the U.S. is not only a massive consumer market but also a deeply segmented multi-channel consumption ecosystem where standards are high and globally influential.

Opportunities for Vietnamese agricultural products remain substantial, but success no longer comes simply from having goods available for sale. Exporters must simultaneously meet quality requirements, comply with regulations, and demonstrate the ability to integrate into distribution systems.

In markets such as the United States, where standards are high and information is fragmented, individual businesses often struggle to independently satisfy all requirements. The role of industry associations therefore needs to be strengthened significantly.

Associations can coordinate efforts, standardize market information, establish common standards, and support businesses with traceability systems, certifications, and compliance documentation. Working alongside agricultural attachés, they can coordinate with authorities to resolve trade barriers and help domestic businesses better understand market requirements and operational practices.

Going forward, cooperation between domestic agencies, industry associations, and the attaché network must shift from case-by-case support toward value-chain-based support.

Domestically, Vietnam needs to focus on standardizing production zones, upgrading processing capacity, and building traceability systems. Industry associations should coordinate and standardize efforts, while overseas attachés focus on market connectivity, policy alerts, and helping businesses directly access buyers.

When every link in the chain operates in sync, Vietnamese agricultural products will not only enter but firmly establish themselves in what is considered one of the world’s most demanding markets.

Pham Quang Huy — Agricultural Attaché to the United StatesEmail: huypham@vietnamembassy.us

Strengthening agricultural attachés means investing in national capacity

The global economic potential of Vietnamese agriculture lies in its adaptability. Vietnam is among the few tropical countries capable of combining large-scale production with rapid progress in digital transformation and green production.

Total agricultural exports have already surpassed US$70 billion and are projected to reach US$73-74 billion this year. More importantly, however, the sector is gradually shifting from competing on volume to competing on quality and value.

For the EU market in particular, the potential of Vietnamese agricultural products is no longer measured in tons or containers, but in trust and integrated value.

The presence of agricultural attachés in strategic markets is not merely an external representative function. It establishes the country’s “eyes and ears” abroad and demonstrates Vietnam’s capacity for rapid response to global trade fluctuations.

The role of agricultural attachés is to translate technical regulations into actionable plans, advise ministries and agencies, and disseminate information to businesses and associations at home.

Rather than leaving businesses to react passively, agricultural attachés move proactively to provide information, warnings, and guidance that help producers adjust cultivation and production processes from the farm level onward.

This is the connection between policy thinking and farming practice — the vital link extending from Vietnamese fields to international dining tables.

Agricultural attachés also help connect relevant authorities in pursuit of mutual recognition of food safety monitoring systems between Vietnam and the EU. At the same time, they support Vietnamese products in expanding distribution channels beyond Asian specialty stores into mainstream retail chains such as Lidl, Carrefour, and Metro, thereby increasing market visibility.

Strengthening the agricultural attaché system is therefore an investment in Vietnam’s national negotiating capacity. It helps protect the interests and profit margins of farmers and businesses even on foreign soil, while turning stringent technical barriers into competitive advantages for Vietnam.

Mr. Tran Van Cong — Vietnam’s Agricultural Attaché to the European Union Email: tvcong@mae.gov.vn; conghtqt@yahoo.com