Prioritizing logistics to support agricultural production

He stressed that the plan for developing the agricultural logistics system must be grounded in production realities, focusing on critical stages such as quarantine, food safety inspection, and traceability, while providing guidance for localities to proactively carry out implementation.

Departments, agencies, and units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment have been tasked with developing specific action plans tied to logistics at each stage of production, based on their respective functions and responsibilities.

This directive comes as authorities finalize a plan to improve the quality and competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural products, amid growing recognition of logistics as a decisive factor in value creation and market access.

According to the National Authority for Agro-Forestry-Fishery Quality, Processing and Market Development (NAFIQPM), the plan, titled “Developing the Logistics System to Enhance the Quality and Competitiveness of Vietnamese Agricultural Products”, is based on Vietnam’s Logistics Services Development Strategy for 2025–2035, with a vision to 2050, focusing on areas within the agricultural sector’s mandate.

Rather than investing in large-scale infrastructure such as seaports or major logistics hubs, already assigned to other ministries and local governments, the ministry’s plan centers on ensuring logistics services that directly support agricultural production and consumption.

Specifically, the logistics system will be developed to meet the needs of concentrated production areas, particularly for key commodities such as rice, coffee, shrimp, pangasius, fruits and vegetables, cashews, timber, rubber, and livestock. At the same time, efforts will be made to strengthen connectivity from raw material zones to regional logistics centers, seaports, and border gates, as well as to processing systems and domestic and export markets.

A key priority is improving sector-managed services, including quarantine, inspection, testing, quality certification, and traceability. These stages, emphasized by Deputy Minister Nam, are essential not only for ensuring food safety but also as mandatory requirements for deeper penetration into export markets.

The plan also calls for logistics development tailored to the specific characteristics of each locality and commodity, aiming to reduce costs, shorten transportation times, and minimize quality degradation during distribution.

Accordingly, all 34 provinces and centrally governed cities are required to develop their own plans, allocate resources to build warehousing systems, collection points, wholesale markets, and appropriate transport infrastructure, while ensuring connectivity with regional logistics centers.

Delegating implementation authority to local governments marks a strategic shift aimed at leveraging regional advantages, avoiding fragmentation, and reducing reliance on central coordination. Ministry-affiliated units will play a supporting role by providing technical guidance, standards, regulations, and public services across the agricultural logistics chain.

In addition, the plan sets a target to accelerate technology adoption in agricultural logistics, with 80% of logistics enterprises expected to implement digital transformation to improve cost efficiency and operational timelines. At the same time, 100% of concentrated production areas are to be equipped with essential services such as traceability, quarantine, testing, and quality certification.

The NAFIQPM is currently collecting feedback from ministries, localities, and industry associations to finalize the draft plan, which is expected to be submitted to ministry leadership for review and direction in the near future, ensuring it is presented to the Ministry’s Party Standing Committee by April 2026.