Vietnam - Uruguay: Practical, effective, and sustainable cooperation

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien expressed his pleasure in welcoming Ms. Valeria Csukasi - Uruguay’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Uruguayan Ambassador to Vietnam. He also highly appreciated Uruguay’s strengths in agriculture, particularly in beef cattle, sheep, and dairy farming.

Introducing Vietnam’s agriculture, he noted that the country holds advantages in the production and export of agro-forestry-fishery products, with export turnover reaching USD 62.5 billion in 2024. Vietnam’s livestock industry has also grown strongly. In 2024, the total live-weight meat output is estimated at 8.1 million tons, including 5 million tons of pork, 2.4 million tons of poultry, 1.2 million tons of fresh milk, and 19.7 billion eggs. Industrial animal feed production reached the equivalent of 21.5 million tons, up 3.4%. To further develop the livestock sector, Vietnam has a strong demand for importing various feed ingredients from Mercosur countries.

Regarding agricultural cooperation, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien underscored that Vietnam possesses notable strengths in the production of processed pork, poultry, and chicken eggs. These sectors are supported by production zones developed in accordance with strict animal health and biosecurity standards, while also applying advanced deep-processing technologies. As a result, a number of Vietnamese agricultural products have successfully penetrated highly demanding markets such as Japan, China, and the European Union.

Furthermore, Vietnamese honey and dairy products have gained strong popularity among international consumers. For this reason, Vietnam hopes to soon bring these products into the Uruguayan market, thereby diversifying trade and enhancing bilateral agricultural ties.

Deputy Minister Tien went on to note: “Currently, several Vietnamese enterprises are interested in exporting a variety of agricultural products to Uruguay. I propose that our two countries work together to create the most favorable conditions for expanding cooperation opportunities and attracting investment. At the same time, Vietnam also wishes to advance international cooperation in scientific research, as well as in the prevention and control of animal diseases - an area of shared concern for both sides.”

As for opening the market for Uruguayan beef, Deputy Minister Tien acknowledged that although the dossier for import procedures had been initiated as early as 2016, the progress has remained slow. “We will re-examine the matter carefully and provide timely responses so that Uruguayan beef, along with other agricultural products, can soon be present in the Vietnamese market,” he affirmed.

Listening to the remarks of Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien, Ms. Valeria Csukasi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, expressed her admiration for Vietnam’s economic development in general and its agricultural sector in particular. She affirmed that Vietnam will become an important partner of Uruguay as well as of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur).

Uruguay is particularly interested in importing Vietnamese coffee - a commodity that enjoys wide recognition and preference among global consumers. She noted that coffee could act as a strong catalyst for boosting agricultural trade relations between the two nations, opening up new avenues for cooperation and mutual benefit.

Acknowledging Vietnam’s proposals, Ms. Csukasi affirmed that the potential for importing Vietnamese coffee, alongside a diverse range of other agricultural products, into the Uruguayan market and the wider Mercosur region remains highly promising. She also pledged to bring this matter under careful study and consideration in the near future.

“Regarding beef imports, Uruguay stands ready to carefully study and take into account the mechanisms and procedures required by Vietnam, with a view to expediting the completion of licensing dossiers that would enable Uruguayan beef to gain access to the Vietnamese market in the near future.

Beyond the sphere of agriculture, I also hope that our two countries will seize the opportunity to broaden cooperation into a wide range of other economic sectors, thereby fostering a deeper, more comprehensive partnership and driving bilateral trade relations to new levels,” Deputy Minister Csukasi emphasized.

Bringing the working session to a close, Deputy Minister Valeria Csukasi expressed her expectation that, following this visit, the cooperative programs and projects between the two sides will continue to be elevated to new heights, delivering practical and sustainable outcomes. Both delegations reaffirmed their confidence that the bilateral relationship will continue to grow steadily, producing a number of significant agreements and concrete results in the period ahead.