Viet Nam, Cuba expand cooperation from rice to biotechnology

This evolution marks a period described as the "golden seeds" of the Viet Nam - Cuba friendship, aimed at sowing knowledge to reap successful harvests on Cuban soil.

During a meeting on the morning of December 17 between Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien and his Cuban counterpart, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Telce Abdel González Morera, leaders from both sides assessed that bilateral agricultural cooperation is entering a new, more substantive phase. The immediate focus remains on ensuring food security for Cuba, while simultaneously expanding into livestock, aquaculture, fruit cultivation, and biotechnology.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien stated that following his recent mission to Cuba, he reported on the progress of cooperation projects, specifically the rice cultivation initiative invested in by Vietnamese enterprises. He noted that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment would continue to coordinate closely with Cuban counterparts, prioritizing the implementation of tasks designed to secure the partner nation’s food supply.

Expanding beyond grain production, Deputy Minister Tien also reviewed developments in aquaculture and livestock farming in Cuba. He emphasized the necessity of selecting livestock breeds and production models that are compatible with Cuba’s specific natural and socio-economic conditions. On this basis, he proposed a strategic orientation for Viet Nam to deploy comprehensive support measures, aiming for logical and rapid results across fruit cultivation, fisheries, and animal husbandry.

According to Deputy Minister Tien, Cuba stands ready to allocate additional land to Vietnamese enterprises for rice cultivation. The Cuban side holds weekly meetings to monitor project progress, while rice production companies have proactively procured materials and equipment to reduce input costs and enhance efficiency. Regarding fisheries, Viet Nam and Cuba have held specific working sessions on proposed projects, with detailed production reports expected in the near future.

In turn, Cuban Deputy Minister of Agriculture Telce Abdel González Morera affirmed that the bond between the two peoples, sown by President Ho Chi Minh and Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro, has been preserved and cultivated by successive generations. The Cuban Deputy Minister expressed a strong desire to return to Viet Nam to gain a deeper understanding of the country, its people, and its working methods.

The Cuban delegation’s visit included participation from the biotechnology conglomerate Labiofam. The Cuban side provided comprehensive updates on Vietnamese production projects in Cuba and presented specific results achieved during the working trip. Cuban officials assess that economic cooperation between the two nations is traversing a pivotal moment. The Agri VMA rice cooperation project in Cuba is viewed as a "seed" that is now blooming and bearing fruit. Beyond direct economic value, the project offers significant added value, primarily serving as a reference model for similar investment projects by Vietnamese enterprises in Cuba. Building on this foundation, Cuba is preparing to welcome a new rice production project from Viet Nam in January 2026.

Notably, prior to departing Cuba for Viet Nam, the leadership of the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between Vietnamese and Cuban enterprises for rice and cashew cultivation in a province adjacent to Havana. Stemming from this initial project, numerous subsequent rice initiatives are being formed, with a critical requirement to ensure sustainable development and scalability.

The Cuban Deputy Minister also expressed high appreciation for Viet Nam's agricultural investments, noting not only their immediate production efficiency but also the long-term lessons Cuba can derive regarding economic model management, production organization, and the construction of legal frameworks. Consequently, Cuba is implementing measures to streamline procedures to attract foreign investors. Many of these policies have been shaped by the practical experiences of Vietnamese projects in Cuba, as well as through exchanges at various levels between the two countries.

Within the framework of the visit, the Cuban delegation maintained a dense and effective schedule in Ho Chi Minh City, working with numerous Vietnamese enterprises and visiting farms specializing in cashew, durian, pepper, and rubber, as well as industrial slaughterhouses. These engagements opened multiple new cooperation opportunities, including the urgent promotion of joint ventures with Labiofam, alongside specific discussions and positive signals in the livestock and veterinary sectors with Vietnamese corporations.

Elaborating during the working session, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized that in addition to rice, fruit trees represent a sector with immense potential and advantage in Vietnam - Cuba cooperation. He agreed with the Cuban side that investment by Vietnamese enterprises in Cuba not only creates production opportunities but also contributes to dismantling legal barriers, setting a precedent for other foreign enterprises to participate.

Conversely, Viet Nam remains open to welcoming Cuban enterprises for investment and cooperation. With its foundation and experience in rice, fisheries, and livestock, Viet Nam is confident that the participation of Labiofam and other Cuban businesses, offering high-quality products at reasonable costs will find significant room for development in the Vietnamese market, thereby deepening the agricultural partnership between the two nations.