Maintaining the export target for AFF products in 2025

On July 29, at a meeting to discuss the growth plan and export turnover of agriculture, forestry, and fishery (AFF) products for the remaining months of 2025, Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang affirmed the determination to fully achieve the set targets and proactively develop a growth scenario for the 2026 - 2030 period.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Ministers Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Phung Duc Tien, Tran Thanh Nam, Nguyen Quoc Tri, Hoang Trung, along with representatives from relevant affiliated units.

Staying on target, no backing down

Speaking at the meeting, Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang emphasized that this is a pivotal moment to reflect on the progress made during the first half of the year and identify clear directions for the remainder of 2025 and the upcoming term.

Right from the beginning of the year, the Ministry issued Decision No. 681/QĐ-BNNMT dated April 8, 2025, clearly setting a growth target for the AFF sector of at least 4%, with total export turnover to reach at least USD 65 billion, striving to hit USD 70 billion. The action plan was specified through eight major task groups, broken down into 28 key tasks.

According to assessments, the AFF sector grew by 3.84% in the first six months of the year, approaching the growth target outlined in Decision 681. Specifically, agriculture grew by 3.51%, forestry by 7.42%, and fisheries by 4.21%. These results made the AFF sector the second-highest growing sector in the 2021–2025 period, making a significant contribution to the national GDP growth rate of 7.52%. The sector's trade surplus reached USD 9.83 billion, an increase of 16.3% compared to the same period last year - an impressive figure that outpaces the overall economic growth rate.

Nonetheless, the Acting Minister warned that the remaining months of the year would present many challenges. "The first six months have been good, but we must strive even harder in the last months to meet our targets. There will be no change in goals, and no backing down," Mr. Thang emphasized. "We must firmly adhere to Decision 681 in organizing implementation. Difficulties are not an excuse for retreat."

Removing bottlenecks in production, expanding markets

At the meeting, the Deputy Ministers and relevant departments proposed a range of specific solutions to address challenges in agricultural production, processing, and export.

Deputy Minister Hoang Trung noted that fruit crops are currently the primary driver of export growth, especially winter-season products with high value potential. Although the crop sector has been heavily affected by natural disasters and climate change, opportunities to access new markets, particularly China remain significant and are being actively pursued by the Ministry.

Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam proposed strengthening coordination with the Trade Promotion Agency (under the Ministry of Industry and Trade) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to include agricultural market development in the working agendas of high-level delegations. He also emphasized the need to expand into new markets and called on foreign-invested enterprises (FDIs) to deepen their integration with Vietnamese agricultural products in global value chains.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Quoc Tri shared a similar view and urged closer collaboration with the Ministry of Finance to accurately assess the added value of the agricultural sector and prevent data misreporting.

In the fisheries sector, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien stressed the importance of tight coordination between local authorities and the Ministry to prevent violations by fishing vessels in foreign waters effectively and to decisively eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in order to have the European Commission’s "yellow card" lifted.

Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang reiterated that the Ministry's role is to issue policies, guide implementation, and support execution. "If we do this job well, we are essentially supporting millions of people involved in production, processing, and export," he said. He also called for continued administrative reform, particularly in customs and import-export procedures, proactive engagement with businesses, and strategic planning for efficient regional investment.

Maximizing value, leaving no achievements behind

Expanding export markets has been identified as a key task in a global economic landscape marked by uncertainty. Alongside traditional markets such as Europe and the Middle East, the Ministry also prioritizes expanding partners under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).

However, the focus is not solely on market expansion. Enhancing the value of products to increase competitiveness and profitability is equally important, especially for core exports such as agricultural produce, seafood, and wood products.

To realize these goals, the Ministry has assigned the Planning and Finance Department to take the lead, in coordination with the Ministry Office, in conducting a comprehensive review and objective assessment of the outcomes from the first six and seven months of the year. This will serve as the basis for developing a growth scenario for the remaining five months of 2025 and the 2026 - 2030 period. The Ministry also requested collaboration with the General Statistics Office to ensure data is compiled accurately and comprehensively. "We must not overlook any achievement of the sector. What belongs to the sector must be counted fully and correctly," the Acting Minister emphasized.

Concluding the meeting, the Ministry leadership once again affirmed: "We must act properly, act quickly, and promptly resolve difficulties faced by the people and businesses. This is a key factor in building trust and motivation for development."

With a spirit of proactiveness, creativity, and high responsibility, the agriculture and environment sector aims to fulfill the 2025 targets successfully and confidently enter the new development phase of 2026-2030.