Viet Nam, Malaysia boost agricultural ties toward sustainable supply chains

On April 23, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Minister Trinh Viet Hung welcomed and worked with Malaysia's Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Haji Mohamad Bin Sabu. On this occasion, the two Ministers signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

At the working session, Minister Trinh Viet Hung affirmed that cooperation between the two countries is developing in a substantive, serious, and effective manner. He expressed confidence that meetings would continue to strengthen bilateral ties, particularly as both sides need to step up cooperation to ensure food security.

Congratulating Minister Trinh Viet Hung on his new position, Malaysia's Minister Datuk Seri Haji Mohamad Bin Sabu expressed his expectation that, under his leadership, agricultural cooperation between the two countries would be further enhanced. He noted that the close diplomatic relationship has laid a foundation for positive bilateral trade outcomes. In 2024, Viet Nam became Malaysia's fourth-largest trading partner within ASEAN. In the agricultural sector alone, total agricultural trade turnover from January to December 2025 reached nearly USD 3 billion.

Malaysia currently exports mainly processed food products to Viet Nam, while importing from Viet Nam commodities such as coffee, cocoa, tea, spices, and a wide range of high-quality processed products. Amid ongoing uncertainties in global supply chains, both sides have identified food security as a shared priority, viewing it as an opportunity to expand cooperation through joint projects, exchange experience in smart agriculture, and ensure stable food supplies at competitive prices.

The Malaysian side also expressed its wish to promote private sector investment, further study smart agriculture, and learn from Viet Nam's experience in large-scale production.

Addressing trade cooperation, Minister Trinh Viet Hung emphasized that exchanges of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products between the two countries have achieved positive results in recent years, with two-way trade flows continuing to expand. He noted that both sides should further consolidate these achievements while discussing and identifying new directions and orientations to further increase export turnover in the coming period.

At the meeting, Minister Datuk Seri Haji Mohamad Bin Sabu put forward several specific proposals to expand access to the Vietnamese market. In particular, Malaysia expressed its wish to resume exports of value-added processed poultry products, which have been suspended since 2024, and to promote exports of pasteurized liquid egg products, frozen duck meat, and related products. In addition, bird’s nests, animal feed, and pet food are among Malaysia’s priority commodities.

In response to these proposals, Minister Trinh Viet Hung stated that Viet Nam welcomes them and consistently maintains fair trade relations with Malaysia. However, to advance the market access process, the Malaysian side needs to urgently provide complete technical dossiers for import risk analysis in accordance with Vietnamese regulations, while closely coordinating with specialized agencies to finalize quarantine procedures and food safety requirements.

He also stressed that this is a two-way process. Viet Nam will promptly provide full guidance on procedures and dossier requirements, while Malaysia needs to proactively complete the dossiers in accordance with such guidance. With regard to bird's nests, Minister Trinh Viet Hung noted that strict control is required due to concerns related to disease origin.

In the field of animal feed, both sides have made some progress, although certain raw materials have yet to meet the criteria for consideration. The Minister suggested that the Malaysian side continue official exchanges through diplomatic channels or specialized agencies to receive detailed guidance.

Conversely, Viet Nam proposed that Malaysia consider opening its market to Viet Nam's products such as poultry meat, fresh poultry, milk, and dairy products. According to Minister Trinh Viet Hung, these products have met the stringent standards of markets such as Japan, the Russian Federation, and Hong Kong.

Regarding the rice trade, Malaysia's Minister Datuk Seri Haji Mohamad Bin Sabu affirmed that rice is an essential commodity and that Viet Nam is a key partner in ensuring supply. In 2025, Viet Nam exported more than 457,000 tons of rice to Malaysia; Vietnamese rice currently accounts for about 40% of this country's total rice imports and is favored by consumers. The two sides have also reached agreement on export volumes and are working toward price stability in rice trade. In response, Minister Trinh Viet Hung assessed this as a positive outcome of cooperation that should be further consolidated and strongly developed in the coming period.

At the meeting, Viet Nam's Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trinh Viet Hung and Malaysia's Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Haji Mohamad Bin Sabu also signed an MOU on cooperation in agriculture, aiming to strengthen coordination between the two sides in agriculture, fisheries, and food security on the basis of equality and mutual respect.