Vietnam eyes $100bn in agro-forestry-fishery exports by 2027 through structural reforms

At a discussion, titled ‘How Can Vietnam Achieve US$100 Billion in Agro-Forestry-Fishery Exports?,’ organized by the Government Information and Communications Bureau on Thursday, Dr. Nguyen Si Dung, former vice-chairman of the National Assembly Office and moderator of the event, questioned whether the target was overly ambitious.

He urged participants to identify the country’s competitive advantages while addressing the obstacles that continue to constrain export growth.

Nguyen Hoai Nam, secretary general of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), described the target as a significant challenge.

With only about 500 days remaining until 2027, Vietnam would need to increase agricultural export turnover by roughly 30 percent from current levels.

“To achieve such an ambitious target, we need a new development model, stronger resources and greater investment,” Nam said.

He proposed the government assign the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to lead a national steering committee bringing together ministries, business associations and enterprises to implement a comprehensive ‘500-day action program.’

The initiative would develop sector-specific solutions and closely support businesses across the agricultural value chain.

It is necessary to reassess growth potential across all agricultural sectors, not only seafood, forestry products and fruit and vegetables, but also livestock production, Nam said.

For the seafood industry alone, export revenue would need to increase from some $12 billion to $16 billion.

Achieving that goal would require export shipments to expand from around 1.5 million containers to 2.5 million containers, creating substantial pressure on raw material supplies.

Nam said Vietnam must carefully evaluate the potential of both aquaculture and wild fisheries while making greater use of its processing capacity to ensure a stable supply of raw materials.

Labor shortages represent another major concern.

Despite increasing automation, seafood processing remains highly labor-intensive, while many companies in the Mekong Delta struggle to recruit enough workers.

“If businesses cannot secure sufficient labor, the industry will face serious constraints,” he warned.

Besides, access to financing is becoming increasingly critical, Nam said.

As exports expand, businesses require larger production capacity and greater working capital.

He called on banks to adopt more flexible risk assessment methods to better support companies pursuing export growth.

Dr. Dang Kim Son, former head of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the $100 billion target is attainable only through fundamental structural transformation.

He called for a comprehensive review of national planning to establish large-scale specialized production zones integrated with advanced technologies, deep-processing centers and modern transport infrastructure, including seaports, border gates, railways, highways and airports.

More importantly, Vietnam must shift from a traditional production-oriented approach toward building a modern agricultural economy based on integrated value chains that connect input suppliers, farmers, processors and exporters.

Son also hinted at establishing commodity councils similar to those operating in several other countries.

Such councils would bring together government agencies, local authorities, businesses and farmers to jointly formulate development strategies, coordinate policies and oversee implementation.

“I believe commodity councils would provide an effective governance model,” Son said.

“The government should serve as the conductor, coordinating all stakeholders.

“Once such an organization is in place, digital transformation and technological innovation will naturally become part of the system,” he elaborated.

He emphasized that sustainable development cannot rely solely on administrative directives.

Instead, institutional mechanisms must enable every participant in the value chain to share both risks and benefits fairly.

Nguyen Thanh Binh, president of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, also expressed confidence that the export target could be achieved, provided the government establishes a central coordinating body to remove bottlenecks and oversee breakthrough reforms.

He noted that the fruit and vegetable sector continues to face structural weaknesses, particularly fragmented production and farming practices that have placed excessive pressure on agricultural land.

Years of intensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have resulted in heavy metal accumulation and chemical residues in many fruit-growing areas of the Mekong Delta, affecting the export quality of products such as durian and jackfruit.

Binh said these environmental challenges cannot be solved by farmers alone and require coordinated action from government agencies, scientists and industry stakeholders.

He suggested prioritizing investment in high-value export products including rice, coffee, fruit and seafood.

Vietnam’s agro-forestry-fishery exports staged a dramatic gain in 2025, setting a new record of more than $70 billion, well above the $65 billion target and nearly $8 billion higher than the previous year.