In 2024, the total export turnover of agricultural, forestry and fishery products is estimated to reach a record high of 62.4 billion USD, up 18.5% compared to 2023, and the trade surplus continues to reach a new record of 18.6 billion USD, up 53.1%.

Seminar scene.

On the morning of December 19, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinated with the Nong Thon Ngay Nay/Dan Viet Newspaper to organize an online discussion with the theme: Agricultural product exports in 2024 – New record, new position.

In 2024, the agricultural sector will implement the plan in conditions with intertwined advantages and difficulties, challenges; including strong impacts from market fluctuations, severe hot weather, drought, storms in the Central Highlands and Central regions, saline intrusion in the southern provinces and cities; especially storm No. 3 (Yagi) which caused severe damage to agricultural production in the northern provinces. The agricultural sector has overcome difficulties and challenges to promote production development in both scale and production level.

Vietnamese agriculture has both firmly ensured national food security and strongly and deeply integrated into the international community; many key agricultural products continue to expand their markets. Vietnam’s agricultural exports have reached many new records.

In 2024, the total export turnover of agricultural, forestry and fishery products is estimated to reach a record high of 62.4 billion USD, an increase of 18.5% compared to 2023, the trade surplus continues to reach a new record of 18.6 billion USD, an increase of 53.1%. Of which, the export of main agricultural products is nearly 33 billion USD, an increase of 23.1%; livestock 525 million USD, an increase of 4.8%; main forestry products 17.2 billion USD, an increase of 18.9%; aquatic products 9.9 billion USD, an increase of 10.3%. There are 7 goods/groups of exported goods over 3 billion USD (an increase of 1 product compared to 2023).

With the above achievements, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hieu, Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Department, assessed that these are very impressive numbers, reflecting the entire process of production, opening and conquering the market, not just in a few years. To achieve this result, in addition to the contribution of new products opening the market, it is also an affirmation of the good response of Vietnamese agricultural products to the import market. Besides, it is the recognition of the exporting unit when complying with regulations in compliance and bringing products to the market.

An important contributor to growth and export value is the agricultural group, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Manh, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production, said that from the beginning of the year, the industry determined that it would have to respond to natural disasters. The industry directed localities to prepare the best conditions to respond to unfavorable conditions. At the beginning of the year, drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta and the Central Highlands were quite severe, but with proactiveness, the damage caused by natural disasters was not much.

Wood and products are one of the 7 groups of agricultural, forestry and fishery products with an export value of more than 1 billion USD.

Storm No. 3 alone caused great damage to agricultural production in the North. However, the restoration of production after the storm was implemented quite well. The industry and localities joined hands from the beginning to minimize damage, produce early winter crops to ensure enough food and food as well as exports. The growth and export value of the agricultural sector is not random growth, but proactive and flexible in response, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Manh said.

With today’s achievements, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Manh also shared that many industries had prepared and directed themselves for decades. With fruits, in 2024, the industry has planned to produce in different seasons with many main fruit trees such as dragon fruit, mango, rambutan, durian… Thanks to that, Vietnam now has fruit for export all year round, typically durian. Or the coffee tree replanting program has helped increase productivity from 2.2 tons/ha to 2.8 tons/ha today.

Regarding rice, this year, Vietnam can export about 9 million tons. Vietnamese rice has effectively transformed into high-quality rice. Previously, the export price of Vietnamese rice was always low and lower than Thailand. But this year, the average export price of Vietnamese rice has surpassed that of Thailand.

Regarding seafood, Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, shared that achieving an export value of 10 billion USD had a large contribution from shrimp products when bringing in 4 billion USD, an increase of nearly 17% compared to 2023. Next, Vietnam has made good use of the quota to export tuna to the EU.

7 groups of agricultural, forestry and fishery products with an export value of more than 1 billion USD are: wood, wood products, fruit and vegetable products, coffee products, rice products, shrimp products, tra fish products and cashew nuts.

Looking back after 20 years of integration of the seafood industry, Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam said that there have been significant changes, in addition to ensuring food safety, to bring seafood to large markets, there must now be voluntary certifications, sustainability certifications, which is responsibility to the environment and society. These requirements are from most buyers and retailers.

Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam also commented that the prospect of seafood exports in 2025 is very positive, with growth of 10-15%. The premise for that growth is good signals from the market, preferential credit policies for seafood and forestry products. This is an opportunity for businesses to prepare production and export plans for the coming year.

Despite achieving many positive results in the export of agricultural, forestry and fishery products, Ngo Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office, also said that in 2024, import markets will continuously announce changes in food safety regulations. Vietnam wants to increase exports not only based on quantity, but also on product quality. The market is constantly changing regulations, but Vietnamese agricultural products have responded promptly. Most businesses and farmers have responded well. It is necessary to continue to promote and mobilize producers to change to meet regulations in production and export.

“Vietnamese agriculture has tried to increase output but cannot ignore quality. These two issues must always go hand in hand. If we are too busy with growth, we will not be careful and fall into the trap of chasing output,” Mr. Ngo Xuan Nam emphasized.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Hieu expects that fruits and vegetables will continue to grow in the coming years. But in 2025, it is necessary to consolidate the position and market that the results of market opening have brought. That is production linkage, interaction in the industry value chain. The Plant Protection Department supports farmers to comply well with the requirements of the import market. Compliance and quality are competitive advantages for Vietnamese agricultural products.

Source: https://bnews.vn/xuat-khau-nong-san-lap-nhieu-ky-luc-moi/357327.html