The export of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products brought in nearly 30 billion USD with a trade surplus of over 7 billion USD after the first 5 months of the year, continuing to be a bright spot of the economy. However, markets tightening technical barriers, traceability, and quality control are becoming a mandatory "passport" for Vietnamese agricultural products.

China increases purchases, the US decreases imports

At the regular press conference on June 17, Mr. Dang Ngoc Diep - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) - stated that the export turnover of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products in May was estimated at 6.5 billion USD, up 1% compared to the previous month and up nearly 5% over the same period last year. Cumulatively for the first 5 months of the year, the total export turnover reached nearly 30 billion USD, an increase of more than 6% over the same period last year.

Regarding markets, the leader of MARD said that China continues to lead, accounting for 20.8% of Vietnam's total agricultural, forestry, and fishery export turnover and recording an increase of 16.8% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, exports to the US - the second-largest market decreased by 9.5%, while the Japanese market increased sharply by 25.9%, showing positive signals in the Northeast Asian region.

In the opposite direction, the import turnover of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products in May was estimated at 4.7 billion USD, down 5.6% compared to the previous month but up 17.3% over the same period last year. Taking the first 5 months of the year as a whole, the total import turnover reached more than 22 billion USD, an increase of 12.6%.

"In a context where the economy suffers a significant trade deficit that exerts pressure on growth, the export of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products continues to be a bright spot of the economy by maintaining a trade surplus level of over 7 billion USD in the first 5 months of the year," Deputy Minister Dang Ngoc Diep shared.

Evaluating prospects for the final months of the year, Mr. Diep argued that the export of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products still possesses much room for growth thanks to demand in major markets continuing to be maintained at positive levels for many of Vietnam's key commodities. Effectively utilizing free trade agreements, expanding export markets, and elevating product quality are expected to create additional momentum for growth.

However, the leader of MARD also noted that importing markets are increasingly tightening requirements regarding quality, food safety, quarantine, and product information transparency. Therefore, perfecting the traceability system, constructing transparent supply chains, and upgrading the capacity to satisfy international standards will hold a vital role in maintaining the export growth momentum in the coming period.

18,500 products already on the traceability system

Mr. Nguyen Van Long - Director General of the Department of Science and Technology, MARD - stated that currently, markets are tightening technical barriers, traceability, and quality control, exerting pressure on agricultural export activities.

To satisfy these requirements, MARD is stepping up the deployment of the Agricultural Product Traceability System on a nationwide scale. Up to now, MARD has organized 10 meetings and conferences with localities and solution providers; concurrently working with many large enterprises in the commodity sectors of rice, livestock, seafood, fruits and vegetables, tea, coffee, and other key agricultural products to bring data into the system.

Mr. Long informed: Up to June 12, the system has managed approximately 18,500 products belonging to 112 product groups, 919 shipments of 547 farming households, 255 growing areas, and 149 enterprises across 26 out of a total of 34 provinces and cities.

The Agricultural Product Traceability System was announced by MARD at the end of 2025 and is currently operating on two online platforms, while simultaneously developing a mobile phone application to support enterprises and citizens to participate.

One of the notable initial results involves the durian commodity. Up to May 10, there have been 3 containers of enterprises successfully exported to China with full traceability information.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Long, from this upcoming July 1, MARD expects to expand the deployment of traceability for a number of key commodity sectors such as rice, meat, eggs, milk, pineapples, passion fruit, and tea.

In the coming period, MARD will propose the Prime Minister to direct ministries, sectors, localities, and enterprises to synchronously deploy agricultural product traceability across the entire country.

“Building the traceability system not only serves production chain management but also creates a foundation to enhance competitiveness, increase market access capabilities, and support agricultural product exports in the coming period,” Mr. Nguyen Van Long stated.

Source: Bao Tien Phong