With agriculture, forestry, and fishery export turnover reaching nearly 36 billion USD in the first 6 months, many commodity sectors are expected to continue breaking through in the final months of the year.

However, alongside opportunities to expand markets are increasingly strict requirements regarding the environment, traceability, intellectual property, and sustainable development, forcing enterprises to proactively transform if they wish to firmly maintain their competitive edge.

Returning orders show brightness, room for growth remains large

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the first 6 months of 2026, total agriculture, forestry, and fishery export turnover was estimated to reach 35.88 billion USD, up 6% compared to the previous year's same period. Within this, many commodity groups such as wood and wood products, coffee, vegetables and fruits... continue to maintain positive growth, creating a foundation for the target to accelerate exports in the second half of the year.

Despite the global trade context containing many fluctuations, many enterprises remain optimistic about market prospects. According to Mr. Nguyen Binh Minh, a businessman with many years operating in the field of agricultural product and coffee export, following the fluctuations in the Middle East, many importers are possessing a tendency to diversify supply sources, generating opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises, particularly within the deeply processed agricultural product group.

Mr. Minh argued that Vietnam is being evaluated by many international partners as a stable supply source against a backdrop where global supply chains fluctuate continuously. If enterprises proactively invest in technology, elevate product quality, and satisfy the standards of the European market, the opportunity to expand market shares will be very large.

"Vietnam is standing before many opportunities to approach large markets. If enterprises stand ready to alter and absorb manufacturing technology under international standards, they will not only expand markets but also construct a sustainable standing in global supply chains," Mr. Minh evaluated.

In the wood processing field, Mr. Nguyen Quang Vu, Director of Ha Quang Import Export Company, stated that export activity still maintains a stable growth momentum. Alongside traditional markets, the enterprise also received many additional orders from new markets.

According to Mr. Vu, although international transportation costs remain at high levels, it is not too large of a barrier against high-value orders. The more important thing is that enterprises need to proactively secure raw material sources, manufacturing capacities, and delivery plans to satisfy the sharply growing demand in the year-end shopping season.

From the perspective of a trading enterprise, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Viet, General Director of VietGo Co., Ltd, evaluated that the agricultural product group continues to hold a crucial role in the export structure of Vietnam. Within this, coffee, cashew nuts, pepper, along with many deeply processed products do not merely possess advantages in output volume but also own large potential in constructing national brands and elevating intellectual asset values.

According to Mr. Việt, recently, the volume of international customers seeking Vietnamese coffee, pepper, and cashew nut products increased significantly. Against the coffee industry specifically, although export turnover in the first 6 months decreased by around 15% compared to the same period, it still reached 4.58 billion USD, continuing to affirm its position as one of the core export commodity sectors.

Green standards become "tickets" to retain market shares

If previously tariffs were the largest barrier against exported goods, currently, large importing markets are shifting powerfully toward controlling entire supply chains. Requirements regarding carbon emissions, traceability, labor conditions, social responsibilities, and sustainable development increasingly become mandatory criteria against imported goods.

At the Briefing Conference on Trade Promotion with the system of Vietnam Trade Offices abroad in QII/2026 taking place on July 7, representatives of Vietnam Trade Offices abroad put forward many recommendations to exporting enterprises.

According to Mr. Do Ngoc Hung, Vietnam Trade Counselor in the United States, although Vietnam's exports still maintain growth across many commodity sectors, the final months of the year will bear impacts from tariff policies as well as trade remedy measures.

Notably, the United States is intensifying investigations related to labor, environment, intellectual property, goods origin, and supply chains. This demands that Vietnamese enterprises must prepare full dossiers regarding origin, traceability systems, as well as sustainable development standards if they wish to maintain market shares.

Meanwhile, in the Netherlands market as well as many countries belonging to the European Union (EU), challenges no longer lie in import tariffs thanks to advantages from the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement, but switch to green standards and sustainable development requirements.

According to Ms. Vo Thi Ngoc Diep, Vietnam Trade Counselor in the Netherlands, the EU is expanding the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), driving up the enforcement of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), while concurrently tightening regulations on plant protection drug residues, traceability, circular economy, social responsibility, and ESG criteria.

The management trend of the EU is shifting from product quality control to monitoring entire supply chains, from raw material zones and carbon emissions to labor conditions and environmental responsibilities. This is no longer a requirement of a short-term nature but will become a long-term competitive standard against imported goods.

Experts evaluated that advantages from free trade agreements will continue to expand room for Vietnamese agricultural products. However, to efficiently utilize opportunities in the final months of the year and subsequent years, enterprises need to switch from the mindset of satisfying orders to satisfying standards. Only when constructing transparent production chains that satisfy requirements on the environment, traceability, and sustainable development can Vietnamese agricultural products firmly maintain market shares and elevate value in the international market.

Source: Vnbusiness