Experts urge reforms to unlock Vietnam's agricultural potential

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), in collaboration with Business Forum Magazine, held the Agriculture Forum 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City on July 16 under the theme "Creating New Development Space and Growth Drivers for Vietnam's Agriculture."

Speaking at the forum, Tran Ngoc Liem, Deputy Secretary General of VCCI and Director of VCCI-HCM, said that agriculture continues to play a vital role in maintaining Vietnam's macroeconomic stability, particularly through its record trade surplus.

He noted that the agricultural sector accounts for more than two-thirds of Vietnam's total trade surplus, providing a solid foundation for the growth of other sectors.

To encourage businesses to work more closely with farmers and drive agricultural development, Liem urged local authorities to adopt consistent, coordinated agricultural planning policies and create a stable, business-friendly environment that encourages long-term investment in agriculture.

At the forum, Nguyen Manh Hung, CEO of Nafoods Group, said Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports reached US$3.65 billion in the first six months of the year, up 17.7 percent from a year earlier.

He proposed building a broader agricultural ecosystem involving the government, businesses, cooperatives, research institutions, and farmers, with each stakeholder contributing according to its strengths.

Meanwhile, Ngo Xuan Chinh, Director of the Center for Research and Transfer of Agricultural Technical Advances under the Southern Institute of Agricultural Sciences, stressed the need to improve farmers' knowledge and technical skills through agricultural extension networks.

He said better training would enable farmers to become more self-reliant, apply advanced farming techniques, and strengthen collaboration throughout the agricultural value chain.