Sustainable agriculture thrives when farmers grow together with enterprises

“We are living in an era where every sector must move toward greening,” Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung, Chairman and CEO of Vina T&T Group, told the VAN News, explaining the choice of a refreshing green theme for the 80th-anniversary celebration of the sector.

Alongside the fragrance of fresh fruits and meticulously processed products, Vina T&T aims to convey a message of green transformation in production, where private enterprises are driving this change.

Leading the way in the green trend

Several years ago, Vina T&T became one of the pioneering enterprises in Viet Nam to implement sustainable agricultural production standards. Mr. Tung noted that when the world was only beginning to discuss “green value chains” or ESG standards (environmental, social, governance), Vina T&T had already set its own internal standards.

“When building our factories, we allocated up to two-thirds of the area to green spaces, leaving the rest for construction. This reflects our commitment from the very infrastructure stage, showing that production must go hand in hand with environmental responsibility,” Mr. Tung said.

Vina T&T’s “green” philosophy extends beyond infrastructure to every link in the value chain, from cultivation and harvesting to processing and export. The company pursues a circular economy model, making full use of by-products in production to create new products, thereby increasing value while reducing emissions.

According to Mr. Tung, the green and circular economy is an irreversible trend. Enterprises that wish to survive in the long term must proactively adapt now. Therefore, green transformation is not limited to environmental responsibility; it is also a strategy for sustainable development. “If we lag behind, we will be excluded from global supply chains. But if we take the lead, we can become leaders in exporting high-quality agricultural products,” he added.

Over the past two decades, Vina T&T has brought Vietnamese fruits, such as Cat Chu mango, rambutan, longan, Ben Tre coconut, and green-peel pomelo, to more than 20 demanding markets, including the United States, Australia, Canada, and Europe. Each exported shipment represents far more than a commercial transaction.

“When we send a piece of fruit out into the world, we never see it as a simple act of selling,” Mr Nguyen Dinh Tung said. “It is a national mission. Every product that reaches international consumers carries an image of Viet Nam - our production capabilities, our processing standards, and the credibility of our country.”

To him, every piece of fruit is a “portrait” of the nation. When global shoppers hold a Vietnamese mango certified by USDA or an EU Organic-standard product, they are essentially witnessing the hard work of farmers, the expertise of agricultural engineers, and the discipline of Viet Nam’s agrarian management system behind it.

“We are not exporting commodities,” he emphasized. “We are exporting the nation’s honor.”

Linking farmers - the root of sustainability

Every step Vina T&T takes begins with the farmers, whom Mr. Tung calls “the roots of Vietnamese agriculture.” The company does more than purchase produce; it directly connects with farming regions, transfers technical processes, and guides farmers to achieve international certifications such as GlobalGAP, HACCP, and BRCGS.

“If the roots are not strong, the branches cannot reach far. Agriculture is only sustainable when farmers benefit and grow together with enterprises,” Mr. Tung shared.

At the exhibition space on the morning of November 12, Vina T&T showcased not only its flagship products, such as northern-region pomelos, Ben Tre coconuts, mangoes, and southern-region longans, but also a range of high-value processed products, including juices and dried fruits. All offerings reflect the company’s approach of “enhancing deep processing to increase value and reduce resource waste.”

Earlier, as part of the program “Green Startups Enter the Export Market,” Vina T&T collaborated with the Business Support and Assistance Center (BSA) to launch the “New Horizons in Agriculture” Award. The award aims to encourage innovative ideas among young people in agricultural technology, by-product processing, and bioenergy, opening up new “horizons” for Vietnamese agriculture on the global map.

The award was announced and launched during the final round of the Green Startup Competition in October 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung sees this as a natural continuation of the company’s green transformation journey: “We call it ‘Agriculture - a New Journey.’ Here, young, dynamic individuals with a green mindset come together to form a new generation of agricultural enterprises - knowledgeable, responsible, and globally oriented.”

Currently, Vina T&T is one of the few Vietnamese companies licensed to export 10 types of fruit directly to the United States. Every year, tens of thousands of tons of Vietnamese agricultural products enter the shelves of international supermarket chains. However, for Mr. Tung, success is not only measured by export value but also by the creation of a green ecosystem where farmers, enterprises, and young generations all benefit and grow together.

“We want to be the ‘leading bird,’ but we don’t fly alone. The goal is to lead, inspire, and accompany new ‘birds,’ so that when Vietnamese agricultural products reach the world, it is not just a trade story - it is a source of national pride,” he emphasized.