The International Trade Council has highlighted Vietnam’s significant strides in increasing its agricultural exports to China. In the first half of 2024, the total export turnover of agro-forestry-fishery products reached $29.2 billion, marking a 19% increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
China accounted for 20.2% of this total, representing a 9.5% year-on-year increase, positioning it as the second-largest export market for Vietnam. Typically, China spends $230 billion annually on agricultural imports, with nearly $100 billion spent in the first five months of this year alone. Among these imports, China purchases over $20 billion worth of fruit, seafood, and rice each year.
A leader in Vietnam’s agricultural export sector noted the high demand for fruit and vegetables in current markets. For example, durian exports to China have surged, with expectations to export 2,500 tonnes of fresh durian this year.
Nong Duc Lai, Vietnam’s trade counsellor in China, anticipates robust growth in agricultural exports for the remainder of the year. “China has many long holidays in the second half of the year, such as the current summer break for students and the upcoming mid-Autumn festival. During these holidays, the demand for agricultural products rises significantly. Vietnamese businesses should leverage this period to boost exports. The registration of growing area codes and packaging facilities facilitates exports to this market,” Lai explained.
Despite being the largest exporter of agro-fishery products to China, Vietnam also faces the highest number of warnings, particularly for agricultural and food products. The vast Chinese market, with each province essentially functioning as a separate market, has diverse culinary cultures and varying consumer needs.
Lai recommended that trade promotion efforts should consider these factors. Businesses and localities should provide specific information to trade offices for market research before conducting trade promotion activities. Additionally, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) should strengthen relationships with Chinese localities to exploit specific markets for particular products.
“Currently, trade promotion should focus on large markets in western, central, and northeastern China. In Guangdong province, there’s a huge demand for seafood, while Shandong province requires rubber the most. Businesses must research to effectively exploit these markets,” Lai advised.
To Ngoc Son, deputy director of the Asia-Africa Market Department under the MoIT, emphasized the importance of quality in agricultural exports. “Ensuring the quality of agricultural exports is crucial in today’s globalized world, as issues in one market can lead to similar policies being adopted in others,” Son noted.
In addition to trade promotion, Son suggested that trade offices should enhance market research and information to provide market assessment reports, impact forecasts, and trend predictions.
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