The Hanoi real estate market in the first half of this year saw increases in villa and townhouse prices, although the market was still slow, according to a Savills report into the housing market in the capital released on July 11.

In Hanoi, new villas in high-end market projects showed prices increasing by 9 percent quarter-on-quarter to 178 million VND (7,007 USD) per sq.m.

Townhouse prices decreased by 2% quarter-on-quarter to 188 million VND per sq.m, with higher priced units already sold and only affordable units remaining.

Shophouse prices increased by 3% quarter-on-quarter to 288 million VND per sq.m due to the reduced availability of cheap shophouses and price adjustments.

Primary prices remained high with less to incentivise the secondary market. Secondary villa prices were 8% lower than primary prices, while townhouses were 5% cheaper.

However, "performance was slow", said Mathew Powell, director, Savills Hanoi.

Sales in the second quarter fell by 40% quarter-on-quarter, but rose by 5% year-on-year, reaching a total of 111 dwellings, and quarterly absorption was only 18%. Newly launched properties were 48% absorbed, fell by 15 percentage points quarter on quarter and 3 percentage points year on year.

The majority of primary transactions were still in Ha Dong district with 61%, due to infrastructure projects aimed for completion such as Le Quang Dao road expected to operate in the last quarter of this year. Hoang Mai and Hoai Duc districts each followed with 14% and Thuong Tin had 9%.

"Amended laws and infrastructure development are expected to begin to provide momentum,” added Powell.

The real estate market is showing signs of recovery, thanks to the amended laws which were passed in early 2024 and effective early from August 2024, as well as infrastructure developments and large supply from mega projects in the next few years, according to Savills.

Thirteen projects will supply a total of 2,951 dwellings by the end of 2024, the majority of which will be in Dong Anh district with 34% of future stock, Ha Dong follows with 19% and Hoai Duc with 16%.

The report also stated that in the first half of the year, there were 128 new dwellings, up 38% quarter on quarter but down two% year on year.

New stock came from two existing Ha Dong projects, An Quy Villa with 54 villas and Solasta Mansion with 51 villas, while An Lac Green Symphony in Hoài Đức supplied 12 new townhouses and Him Lam Thuong Tin in Thuong Tin district launched 11 new shophouses.

Primary stock of 608 dwellings came from 16 projects, decreasing by 9% quarter-on-quarter and 24% year-on-year. Villas remained the main product with a 39% share of the available stock./.

Vietnamese, Italian leather, footwear firms foster connections

A series of events were held in Ho Chi Minh City from July 10-12 to promote trade exchanges among leather and footwear businesses of Vietnam and Italy.

They were jointly organised by Italian Trade Office in Vietnam, the National Association of Italian Manufacturers of Footwear, Leathergoods and Tanning Technologies of Italy (Assomac), and the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso).

Assomac General Manager Agostino Apolito said that the association aims to support Italian firms to introduce more technologies to Vietnam, especially those that meet strict requirements in environment and sustainable development.

The official said the association will work with Lefaso and some other agencies to build a specific roadmap for the rest of 2024 and following years with practical activities to create favourable conditions for Italian and Vietnamese firms to strengthen their partnership.

Meanwhile, Italian Ambassador in Vietnam Marco Della Seta said that promoting trade with Vietnam, a strong exporter of leader and footwear products, will contribute to increasing trade between the two countries.

He said that Italy has coordinated with Vietnamese partners to set up the Vietnam-Italy Footwear Technology Centre in the southern province of Binh Duong to serve as a venue for technology transfer and human resources training for Vietnam’s leather and footwear sector.

Equipped with modern machineries and the latest technology imported directly from Italy and Europe, the centre will help small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Vietnamese leather and footwear industry to access, research, and develop new products, he held.

Over the recent years, along with updating Italian firms with Vietnamese market information, the Italian Trade Office in Vietnam has held many trade fairs and exhibitions in Vietnam, including the Shoes & Leather – Vietnam and Vietnam International Footwear & Leather Products Exhibition (IFLE – Vietnam). This year, the event was held in HCM City from July 10-12, drawing 18 leading firms in the industry.

At a conference on the leather and footwear industry’s future held on July 12, many Italian firms introduced their brands, products and technologies to Vietnamese peers. Participants had opportunities to meet, exchange and access information from domestic and foreign experts.

Lefaso President Diep Thanh Kiet predicted that by 2030, Vietnam's total export turnover of footwear and handbags will reach 38 - 40 billion USD.

The opportunities and potential for the industry’s development are huge. However, the "greening" trend in the world is making it more challenging for businesses, especially exporters, he noted, advising Vietnamese firms to brace themselves with green technologies and prepare a “green passport” to enter the European market./.

Pepper export turnover up over 30% in H1

Vietnam exported 142,586 tonnes of pepper in the first half of this year, down 6.8% in volume but up 30.5% in value, the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA) has reported.

The US remains the largest importer of the Vietnamese spice with 37,435 tonnes, surging by 44.6% year-on-year, accounting for 26.3% of the market share.

Exports also skyrocketed to some markets such as Germany, the Netherlands, India, and the UAE, rising by 106.7%, 52.1%, 45.7%, and 15.2%, respectively.

Businesses attributed the situation to the continuous increase in pepper prices in the last six months. Currently, the average export price rose by 1,000 USD per tonne compared to the same period last year. The average export price of black and white pepper was over 4,300 USD and 6,000 USD per tonne, respectively.

On the other hand, Vietnam imported over 18,000 tonnes of pepper worth 69.6 million USD in the January – June period, up 18.9% in value compared to the same period last year. Brazil, Cambodia, and Indonesia are the biggest suppliers of pepper for Vietnam./.

Over 23 million USD for Ca Mau’s fisheries sustainable development

As much as 536 billion VND (23.1 million USD) will be spent on a fisheries sustainable development project in the southernmost province of Ca Mau’s four districts for the 2025-2029 period.

Of the total investment, 390.2 billion VND comes from the World Bank’s official development assistance, 273 billion VND from the State, and 145.8 billion VND from the locality’s corresponding fund.

Under the project, upgrade will be made to the Rach Goc fishing port in Ngoc Hien district, while infrastructure will be developed for bio-safe shrimp farming and sustainable aquaculture in Dam Doi, Cai Nuoc, and Phu Tan districts.

A focus of the project is to build a value chain and brands to improve productivity in three farming areas in Tan Duc and Ta An Khuong Dong communes of Dam Doi district, Dong Thoi commune of Cai Nuoc district, and Phu Tan and Phu My communes of Phu Tan district.

According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Lam Van Bi, the project is designed to bolster the local fisheries sector’s sustainability and its extensive international integration, as well as promote its climate resilience and environmental protection through developing infrastructure, renewing technologies, and enhancing management and production capacity.

Taking fisheries as its economic spearhead, Ca Mau has paid due attention to capitalising on the locality’s strengths and potential, said Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment Tran Cong Khanh, adding the project is expected to bring about huge economic, social and environment efficacy, with more jobs to be generated and incomes and local livelihoods improved./.

Dong Nai remains FDI magnet in H1

The foreign direct investment (FDI) influx into the southern industrial hub of Dong Nai in the first six months of this year was equivalent to 138% of the locality’s plan for the whole year.

So far, local industrial parks drew 940.7 million USD in 49 new and 59 underway projects, according to the Management Board of the Dong Nai Industrial Parks.

It reported that the new FDI projects are in the fields of electric and electronic component manufacturing, mechanical engineering, textiles, prefabricated metal product manufacturing, and logistics, with an average of 7.8 million USD and 78 workers per hectare.

There are no projects in the list of industries that can cause environmental pollution and or are labour-intensive, it said.

The board said that among the 49 new projects, 35 are in the supporting industry, accounting for 71.4%, with combined capital of 277.7 million USD, making up 48.53% of total new registered capital.

It said that in the first half of this year, Singapore continued to be the largest investor in Dong Nai’s industrial parts with 231.1 million USD in nine projects, accounting for 40.5% of the total newly-registered FDI amount.

Dong Nai currently has 33 industrial parks with a total area of more than 10,500 hectares, of which 32 are operational and hosting nearly 2,100 businesses.

There are currently nearly 1,600 valid FDI projects, with a total investment of over 34 billion USD. There are 44 countries and territories investing in Dong Nai, led by the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), and Japan./.

Prime Minister checks progress of Can Tho - Ca Mau Expressway project

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on July 12 examined the construction of an expressway from Can Tho city to Ca Mau province in the Mekong Delta.

Work on Can Tho - Ca Mau Expressway, part of the eastern wing of the North - South Expressway project, started on January 1, 2023. The over-110km road traverses Can Tho and the provinces of Hau Giang, Bac Lieu, Kien Giang, and Ca Mau.

Invested with over 27.5 trillion VND (nearly 1.1 billion USD) in total, it consists of two sub-projects, namely Can Tho - Hau Giang (37km) and Hau Giang - Ca Mau (73km).

Visiting workers at the intersection of IC5 Km47 800 in Vinh Tuong commune of Hau Giang’s Vi Thuy district, PM Chinh appreciated and asked the construction force to continue addressing difficulties and working around the clock to ensure the progress, as well as quality, labour safety, and environmental hygiene during the project implementation.

PM Chinh also visited residents in Vinh Tuong commune to learn about their living conditions after resettlement. He thanked local people for donating land to the project and called on them to continue supporting the project during its implementation and operation.

At a meeting with relevant ministries, sectors, localities, the project management board, and contractors, PM Chinh expressed his delight that after three years of implementation, an expressway through the Mekong Delta, from Can Tho to Ca Mau, has taken shape.

Vietnam expects to have 3,000km of expressways by the end of 2025, connecting the northern border province of Cao Bang with the southernmost province of Ca Mau. Therefore, expressway projects, including Can Tho - Ca Mau, must be carried out determinedly.

He ordered the localities traversed by the project to speed up and complete site clearance to hand over ready ground to the constructors in July.

The Government leader also asked them to mobilise the participation of the entire local political system, people, and businesses since this project is a nationally strategic work which is important to the development of the country, the region, and local people themselves./.

Businesses advised to learn customs, trends to promote exports to Africa-Middle East

Businesses need to carefully learn about customs and consumption trends in Africa and the Middle East when they want to expand exports, particularly Halal products, to the market, heard a conference on July 12.

Speaking at the event held by the Export Support Centre under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, Nguyen Minh Phuong, head of the West Asia – Africa Office under the MoIT's Department of Asia – Africa Markets, said that in addition to large consumers of Halal products in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, Malaysia or other countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt, countries in the Africa - Middle East region like Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also major importers for many Halal products.

The food processing industry of Middle East - African countries has yet to developed, so they have to import many processed products, she said.

Seeing their benefits for health and environment, not only Muslim-majority countries but also major markets around the world such as the US and the EU are increasing imports of Halal products, she added.

The prices of Halal products are usually 5-10% higher than those of normal goods and consumers who want to use Halal products are willing to pay for them, Huong said.

She noted the national trade promotion programme can support exporters that eye markets in the Africa-Middle East region, adding exporters can send goods samples to Vietnamese trade offices in countries to introduce to local partners.

Tran Trong Kim, First Secretary in charge of the Vietnam Trade Office in Saudi Arabia, said that businesses need to learn market demand and regulations on quality management and food hygiene and safety carefully before exporting products.

As consumers in Saudi Arabia are moving towards a green and healthy life and sustainable environmental development, they favour organic and environmentally friendly products so businesses need to research production in this direction to increase export value as well as build their own brands./.

Vietnamese fresh agricultural products have opportunities to enter Singaporean market

A working delegation from Singapore on July 12 visited agricultural farms in the Mekong Delta province of Long An to learn about food safety management policies, disease control and agricultural export certification process there.

The visit is expected to bring opportunities for local fresh agricultural products to enter the demanding Singaporean market.

The delegation, lead by Trade Counsellor and Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore Cao Xuan Thang, visited Duong Vu Limited Liability Company, Hai Au Farm which grows and exports seedless lemons, and Ba Huan high-tech poultry farm.

The delegation also sought information about manufacturers and businesses with capacities to produce and export poultry, eggs and rice in Long An.

Thang said that in December 2023, a delegation from the Singapore Food Authority attended the international rice festival in Hau Giang province. Immediately after that, in the first quarter of 2024, Vietnam for the first time became the largest exporter of rice to the Singaporean market and the 5th largest aquatic product exporter to the country.

Following that visit, the Singaporean side recognised the need to promote the import of other products from Vietnam, particularly Vietnamese egg products and meat products.

Thang said that during this visit to Vietnam, the Singaporean side worked with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and visited farms and factories in Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, and Long An provinces.

He informed that on this occasion, Singapore's management agencies and experts were quite impressed with the farms they visited, showing that that Vietnam's management model, production scale and disease control are quite good.

However, to meet requirements to export products to Singapore, the authorities of the two sides must continue to work together, Thang added./.

More efforts required to make night flights more attractive to passengers

Airlines have been increasing the number of night flights to meet demand amid an aircraft shortage, but the inconvenience and fear of fatigue mean passengers shun them.

In the last two months carriers have increased their flying hours to cope with the rising summer demand, according to data from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. Vietnam Airlines’ planes are now flying for 11 hours a day, up from the earlier 10. They can fly for 12 hours if needed.

Vietjet’s aircraft are operating for 13 hours, and Vietravel Airlines and Bamboo Airways’ for 12.5 hours.

Vietnam Airlines plans to operate an additional 2,000 flights after 9 p.m. on routes from and to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Quy Nhon.

Vietjet will add 3,100 night flights to its domestic routes in the summer, equivalent to 1.4 million seats. Bamboo Airways and Vietravel Airlines have also announced night flight increases to meet the travel needs of passengers.

A night flight can be 20-40% cheaper than a day flight. For example, one-way ticket for Hanoi - Nha Trang flights on June 27 of Vietnam Airlines were priced from 3.4-4.3 million VND (134-170 USD) for normal flying time, however, passengers only paid 2.1-2.6 million VND for flights departing at 9pm or 6am. Meanwhile, on Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City route offered by Vietjet on July 5, passengers paid only 1.55-1.6 million VND for one-way ticket, including taxes and fees, on night or early morning flights.

However, airlines are not too optimistic about demand for such flights. Vietnam Airlines CEO Le Hong Ha said his carrier had to cancel 10% of night flights in May due to lack of passengers.

According to Ha, passengers are concerned that they may take an extra night of stay when the check-in/check-out policies of hotels are not flexible. At the same time, public means of transport to serve the needs of night travel are not available, he added.

In order to increase economic efficiency and help passengers to take advantage of cheap ticket price policy of the aviation industry, the Vietnam Airlines leader said that the aviation and tourism industries need to join hands to have night flight programmes and policies.

Nguyen Quoc Ky, chairman of Vietravel Airlines and tourism firm Vietravel, said people who travel for leisure rarely prefer late flights and only do so when they have to, such as before a long vacation or for a long-distance trip.

Currently, the national flag carrier is working with large enterprises such as Vingroup, and Sungroup... The design of the night flight combined tour, taking into account a 50% discount or free hotel fee for the first night for visitors.

Hotel and accommodation businesses are suggested to develop a variety of check-in/check-out time slots to encourage tourists to fly out and return during off-peak hours. Localities themselves also need to join hands and design appropriate tours and tourism products to encourage passengers to choose night flights on domestic routes.

The Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board has called on hotels to offer multiple check-in and check-out options for the convenience of people arriving by night flights./.

Vietnamese agricultural products, food expected for deeper engagement in global supply chain

Vietnam boasts advantages and potential in agricultural production and export, yet domestic firms need to do more to join the global food supply chain more intensively, insiders have said.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang said Vietnam earned over 53 billion USD from agro-forestry-aquatic product exports last year, with many agricultural items like rice, vegetables and fruit, coffee and cashew nuts enjoying increases in both volume and value.

However, she pointed out that Vietnamese exports, mainly raw, have low competitiveness, and have to face a host of challenges regarding quality and traceability requirements set by importers. Besides, the rising protectionism and the trend of sustainable development in Vietnam’s key export markets have also forced businesses to quickly adapt to and observe them.

Le Thanh Hoa, deputy head of the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said free trade agreements (FTAs) have contributed to raising competiveness for Vietnamese agro-forestry-aquatic products thanks to tax commitments.

Vietnam is now the world’s biggest exporter of cashew nuts and pepper, second in coffee and third in rice, the official said, adding Vietnamese aquatic products have also satisfied quality requirements imposed by demanding markets such as the US, the EU, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (RoK) to play a part in their supply chains.

Tran Ngoc Quan, Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Belgium and the European Union (EU), noted that Vietnam makes up only 4% of the over 160 billion USD worth of agricultural products imported by the EU.

He suggested domestic firms stay updated on market information to better meet requirements in production, transportation as well as sustainable consumption, thus boosting agricultural product and food exports to the bloc.

Vo Trung Hieu, International Business Director of dairy firm Vinamilk, said Vinamilk products have been exported to more than 60 countries worldwide, stressing the company has pursued a sustainable development strategy and sought suitable partners.

He suggested businesses learn about consumption habits and set up a network of partners to expand their markets./.

Vietnam tourism expects to see breakthoughs

Since the beginning of this month, Vietnamese tourism sector has seen many positive signals, with a strong recovery in both the number of visitors and revenue, and promising breakthroughs in the coming months.

Statistic from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism showed that in the first half of 2024, Vietnam welcomed over 8.8 million foreign arrivals, up 58.4% year-on-year, and a 4.1% increase compared to the pre-COVID-19 figure in 2019. It served 66.5 million domestic tourists.

The total revenue from tourism activities was estimate at 436.5 trillion VND (about 17 billion USD), up 1.3-fold against the corresponding period last year.

The above-mentioned figures were attributed to favourable visa policies and tourism promotion programmes which have been sped up recently.

The improvement in the quality of tourism infrastructure and products in localities was also a factor that helped raise the attraction of the tourism industry. As a result, the number of foreign arrivals to Vietnam in June still reached over 1.2 million, 5.3% higher than the same period in 2019, although it is the low season for international tourism.

Besides tourism promotion activities in international markets, localities have made great efforts to renew tourism products and offer many policies to lure tourists.

Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Khanh Hoa have seen a strong recovery in recent months.

The capital city targets welcoming over 27 million visitors this year, including more than 5.5 million foreigners, and earning over 109.4 trillion VND from the industry, up 28.2% over the same period last year.

The municipal Department of Tourism has launched a tourism stimulation scheme themed "Hanoians and Tourists Experience Four- and Five-Star Hotel Services in Hanoi”, as part of its strategy to draw more tourists to the city.

The department’s director Dang Huong Giang said in the remainder of this year, it will focus on organising programmes and events such as Hanoi Tourism Gift Festival 2024, a series of Hanoi sports and tourism events, activities featuring local culture and history, and dialogues with travel firms.

This year, Vietnam aims to welcome 17-18 million international visitors and 110 million domestic tourists, and reap total tourism revenue of about 840 trillion VND.

According to experts, localities need to promote tourism and introduce new tourism products to meet tourist needs, thereby spurring socio-economic development.

It is necessary for the industry to improve its operation, targeting high-end tourist segments, they added. For instance, India, the second most populous country in the world, is viewed as a promising source of tourists for Vietnam.

According to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Indians are spending big on travel, about 150-200 USD per person per day on travelling abroad, even 200 - 250 USD for higher income earners.

Surveys indicate that Indian tourists enjoy exploring new destinations, shopping, participating in outdoor activities, and visiting museums, and cultural and historical relic sites.

Dinh Duc Quang from travel company Nikatour Mui Ne in the south-central province of Binh Thuan said India is indeed a highly potential but also demanding market, especially in terms of culinary and religious considerations.

Therefore, travel agencies should pay attention to tailoring their products to the needs of different groups of Indian visitors, he suggested./.

Agricultural products expected for deeper engagement in global supply chain

Vietnam boasts advantages and potential in agricultural production and export, yet domestic firms need to do more to join the global food supply chain more intensively, insiders have said.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang said Vietnam earned over US$53 billion from agro-forestry-aquatic product exports last year, with many agricultural items like rice, vegetables and fruit, coffee and cashew nuts enjoying increases in both volume and value.

However, she pointed out that Vietnamese exports, mainly raw, have low competitiveness, and have to face a host of challenges regarding quality and traceability requirements set by importers. Besides, the rising protectionism and the trend of sustainable development in Vietnam’s key export markets have also forced businesses to quickly adapt to and observe them.

Le Thanh Hoa, deputy head of the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said free trade agreements (FTAs) have contributed to raising competiveness for Vietnamese agro-forestry-aquatic products thanks to tax commitments.

Vietnam is now the world’s biggest exporter of cashew nuts and pepper, second in coffee and third in rice, the official said, adding Vietnamese aquatic products have also satisfied quality requirements imposed by demanding markets such as the US, the EU, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (RoK) to play a part in their supply chains.

Tran Ngoc Quan, Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Belgium and the European Union (EU), noted that Vietnam makes up only 4% of the over US$160 billion worth of agricultural products imported by the EU.

He suggested domestic firms stay updated on market information to better meet requirements in production, transportation as well as sustainable consumption, thus boosting agricultural product and food exports to the bloc.

Vo Trung Hieu, International Business Director of dairy firm Vinamilk, said Vinamilk products have been exported to more than 60 countries worldwide, stressing the company has pursued a sustainable development strategy and sought suitable partners.

He suggested businesses learn about consumption habits and set up a network of partners to expand their markets.

Businesses advised to learn customs, trends to promote exports to Africa

Businesses need to carefully learn about customs and consumption trends in Africa and the Middle East when they want to expand exports, particularly Halal products, to the market, heard a conference on July 12.

Speaking at the event held by the Export Support Centre under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, Nguyen Minh Phuong, head of the West Asia – Africa Office under the MoIT's Department of Asia – Africa Markets, noted that in addition to large consumers of Halal products in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, Malaysia or other countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt, countries in the Africa - Middle East region like Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also major importers for many Halal products.

The food processing industry of Middle East - African countries has yet to developed, so they have to import many processed products, she said.

Seeing their benefits for health and environment, not only Muslim-majority countries but also major markets around the world such as the US and the EU are increasing imports of Halal products, she added.

The prices of Halal products are usually 5-10% higher than those of normal goods and consumers who want to use Halal products are willing to pay for them, Huong said.

She noted the national trade promotion programme can support exporters that eye markets in the Africa-Middle East region, adding exporters can send goods samples to Vietnamese trade offices in countries to introduce to local partners.

Tran Trong Kim, First Secretary in charge of the Vietnam Trade Office in Saudi Arabia, said that businesses need to learn market demand and regulations on quality management and food hygiene and safety carefully before exporting products.

As consumers in Saudi Arabia are moving towards a green and healthy life and sustainable environmental development, they favour organic and environmentally friendly products so businesses need to research production in this direction to increase export value as well as build their own brands.

Local fresh agricultural products have opportunities to enter Singaporean market

A working delegation from Singapore on July 12 visited agricultural farms in the Mekong Delta province of Long An to learn about food safety management policies, disease control and agricultural export certification process there.

The visit is expected to bring opportunities for local fresh agricultural products to enter the demanding Singaporean market.

The delegation, lead by Trade Counsellor and Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore Cao Xuan Thang, visited Duong Vu Limited Liability Company, Hai Au Farm which grows and exports seedless lemons, and Ba Huan high-tech poultry farm.

The delegation also sought information about manufacturers and businesses with capacities to produce and export poultry, eggs and rice in Long An.

Thang said that in December 2023, a delegation from the Singapore Food Authority attended the international rice festival in Hau Giang province. Immediately after that, in the first quarter of 2024, Vietnam for the first time became the largest exporter of rice to the Singaporean market and the 5th largest aquatic product exporter to the country.

Following that visit, the Singaporean side recognised the need to promote the import of other products from Vietnam, particularly Vietnamese egg products and meat products.

Thang said that during this visit to Vietnam, the Singaporean side worked with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and visited farms and factories in Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, and Long An provinces.

He informed that on this occasion, Singapore's management agencies and experts were quite impressed with the farms they visited, showing that that Vietnam's management model, production scale and disease control are quite good.

However, to meet requirements to export products to Singapore, the authorities of the two sides must continue to work together, Thang added.

Transitioning from a linear economy to a circular economy to address the "Solid Waste" problem

Developing a circular economy is seen as a key method to harmonise the relationship between economic growth and environmental protection, paving the way towards a green economy and sustainable development. Addressing the solid waste problem is essential to this transition.

This topic was discussed at the seminar "Solid Waste Management towards a Circular Economy in Việt Nam: Policy and Enforcement" organised by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment in collaboration with the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Quảng Ninh on the morning of July 12.

A circular economy is a closed production cycle where waste is reused as raw materials for production, thus reducing all negative impacts on the environment, ecosystems, and human health.

Mai Thanh Dung, Deputy Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, said, “Effective solid waste management is one of Việt Nam's top priorities to address environmental pollution and achieve sustainable development goals. The government aims to achieve a 95 per cent collection and treatment rate of municipal solid waste in urban areas, 90 per cent in rural areas, and 98 per cent for hazardous waste by 2030.”

Dung noted that in the context of developing a circular economy to contribute to achieving sustainable development goals by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050, research, exchange, and sharing of information between stakeholders on solutions and models to improve policies and increase the effectiveness of solid waste management in Việt Nam are crucial.

Between 2016 and 2021, the amount of municipal solid waste generated in urban areas nationwide increased by an average of 10-16 per cent annually. In 2022, the amount of municipal solid waste generated in urban areas was approximately 26,100 tonnes per day, while in rural areas, it was around 22,400 tonnes per day.

However, in urban areas, about 5-10 per cent of municipal solid waste is still not collected, and in rural areas, this rate is about 30-45 per cent. Additionally, approximately 10 per cent of hazardous waste remains uncollected and untreated.

Facing these challenges, solutions from various enterprises and organisations provide valuable insights. Lê Anh Vũ, a representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Việt Nam, noted that unlike the traditional linear economy model of take, make, dispose, the circular economy emphasises resource efficiency, waste reduction, and the continuous use of materials. By applying circular economy principles, it is possible to transform the approach to solid waste management and create a more sustainable future.

At the seminar, representatives from several domestic and international businesses shared their experiences and solutions in solid waste management. For instance, Hitachi Zosen presented their material recovery solutions at recycling facilities and waste-to-energy solutions, as well as energy-free carbonisation models aimed at resource recovery. The solid waste management practices in Hạ Long Bay, Quảng Ninh Province, were also discussed.

Representatives from Quảng Ninh's environmental management authorities hope that the insights shared at the seminar will serve as a foundation for Quảng Ninh to study and apply, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of state environmental management and promoting sustainable development in the locality. 

CPTPP supports Vietnamese pangasius exports

After five years of implementation, the trans-pacific agreement has opened up many export opportunities for Vietnamese companies, particularly tra fish.

Under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) the market has opened up to Vietnamese fisheries, as well as pangasius, according to the Việt Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

As of June 15, 2024, Việt Nam's pangasius export turnover to the CPTPP market reached US$114 million, an increase of 10 per cent year- on- year, according to Việt Nam's General Department of Customs. Of which, the export value in the first half of June was $12 million, up 23 per cent over the same period in 2023.

In the first six months of the year, Mexico was the largest importer of Vietnamese pangasius in this bloc, with a value of $31 million, an increase of 7 per cent, followed by Japan and Canada ($18 million each) and Singapore ($16 million).

However, in the period of 2019-2023, COVID-19 pandemic, political conflicts and distruptions to transportation routes in the world created many challenges for Vietnamese fishery exports, including to the CPTPP bloc.

The high inventory of tra fish in many key export markets kept Vietnamese tra fish exports down in 2023. However, compared to other markets, the pangasius export turnover reduction to CPTPP was still at an acceptable level.

This year, pangasius exports begin to recover in some markets, including the CPTPP bloc, which mainly consumes frozen pangasius fillets from Việt Nam.

VASEP forecasts that in the last six months of 2024, pangasius exports to the CPTPP bloc are expected to continue the increase because prices and demand are gradually stabilising.

To promote the exports, businesses need to improve their competitiveness and research this agreement's advantage in term of tariff to take export opportunities.

Aviation authority asks carriers to increase flights to Cần Thơ International Airport

The Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam has asked Vietnamese carriers to increase flights to Cần Thơ International Airport to meet the demand.

Currently, there are five flight routes to Cần Thơ from Hà Nội, Vinh, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng and Côn Đảo with a total of 11-12 return flights per day.

This is a great effort of carriers to maintain flight frequency to Cần Thơ amid the shortage of aircrafts the authority said, however, the number of flights have not been able to meet the travelling demand from and to Cần Thơ of local residents, tourists and investors.

Thus, the Civil Aviation Authority asked Vietnamese carriers to increase flight frequency of the Hà Nội – Cần Thơ routes as well as other routes and expand new domestic and international routes to Cần Thơ.

Cần Thơ International Airport must create favourable conditions for domestic and foreign airlines to exploit routes to Cần Thơ.

The Civil Aviation Authority will continue to study policies to facilitate operations of Vietnamese airlines and foreign airlines to Cần Thơ.

Under Cần Thơ City’s planning for 2021-30 period with a vision to 2050, Cần Thơ City is expected to become a growth hub of Cửu Long (Mekong) River Delta. 

The first "Waste ATM" at a cement plant in Việt Nam

Aiming to develop production following a circular economy model, Quảng Ninh Cement and Construction Joint Stock Company (Lam Thạch Cement Company) has introduced the innovative “VracBank - Deposit Trash, Withdraw Cash” initiative. This is the first "reverse vending machine" model implemented at a cement plant in Việt Nam.

The model was showcased during a site visit to Lam Thạch Cement Company, Uông Bí City, Quảng Ninh Province on the afternoon of July 11, organised by the Journal of Environment - Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment).

Since April 2022, Lam Thạch Cement Company has maintained the "VracBank - Deposit Trash, Withdraw Cash" initiative. Each kilogram of waste is equivalent to 1 point, convertible into cash ranging from VNĐ3,000-11,000 depending on the type of waste.

Each person depositing waste has an account opened by the company to manage all data related to their waste deposits. When the account reaches 300 accumulated points, if the account holder has not yet withdrawn cash, the company will add annual interest. To attract more participants to the "Waste ATM," the company offers various incentives such as home collection services and purchasing waste at prices 10-15 per cent higher than the market rate.

Additionally, many solutions are being implemented by the company to address plastic waste pollution. One such solution is using non-recyclable plastic waste as fuel for cement kilns. This trial solution at Lam Thạch Cement Plant has proven to be both economically and environmentally effective.

Trần Hữu Quỳnh, Deputy Director of Lam Thạch Cement Plant, stated, “Burning waste in the cement production process is called co-processing, meaning that during the clinker burning process, waste is additionally fed in. Currently, we are using waste to replace 35-40 per cent of the coal.”

Việt Nam's cement industry uses about 10 million tonnes of coal, resulting in significant fuel costs. The solution of using plastic waste as fuel is expected to be widely applied to solve both the economic problems for businesses and the waste issues for craft villages, and even larger, to address climate issues that Việt Nam and many other countries are committed to.

Carbon market to create motivation for green transition: Deputy PM

A carbon market will create motivation for green transition , said Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà on July 12.

Chairing a meeting on the establishment of a carbon market in Việt Nam, Hà said that the establishment is difficult and complex, with many developments and changes, requiring a unified commitment to global-scale implementation.

Currently, many countries have established carbon markets, gradually forming technical barriers related to carbon credits for goods.

"To ensure the interests of businesses and the nation, Việt Nam cannot stand aside this trend," he emphasised.

He urged ministries and agencies to analyse and clarify the necessary conditions to form a carbon credit market with full political and legal bases and engagement of each ministry and sector, and then develop a synchronous implementation roadmap.

The operation of the carbon market must follow a roadmap under the management of the State, match the capacity and development levels of businesses and the economy, and ensure national interests, Hà said, adding that it’s necessary to learn experience through joint ventures, partnerships or cooperation mechanisms but ministries and agencies must stay proactive.

According to the Deputy PM, the project on the establishment of the carbon market aims to help Việt Nam fulfill international commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating new financial flows for greenhouse gas emission reduction activities, and creating motivation for green transition for industries and economic fields.

He said that on the basis of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment must allocate emission quotas for each field, industry, and enterprise; guide ministries, agencies, businesses, and consulting organisations on calculation formulas, measurements, statistical reports, appraisals of emission quotas and carbon credits.

Deputy Minister of Finance Lê Tấn Cận said that carbon market transactions are proposed to be made on an online platform. It is expected that the roadmap for carbon market development includes two phases with the pilot phase from 2025 to 2027 and the official operation from 2028.

Groups of solutions include greenhouse gas inventory and allocation of greenhouse gas emission quotas; carbon credit management; greenhouse gas emission quota and carbon credit trading system; management, inspection and supervision; and awareness improvement and capacity enhancement.

Specific tasks are perfecting legal mechanisms and policies; building a system for credit trading and organising and operating the carbon market; and communications programmes to raise awareness of the carbon market among target groups.

In Việt Nam, more than 300 programmes and projects have registered to be implemented with carbon credit mechanisms. Of these, about 150 were granted more than 40.2 million carbon credits which have been exchanged on the world carbon market. 

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes