To maintain its competitive edge amid changing market conditions, Vietnamese agricultural sectors need to improve product quality, traceability and supply chain organisation, experts said.

According to Le Hang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), China and Hong Kong (China) remained bright spots for Vietnam’s aquatic exports in July, with revenue exceeding 267 million USD, up 24.7% year-on-year. The seven-month figure reached nearly 1.74 billion USD, up 34.5%.

The fruit and vegetable sector has also benefited from strong demand in China. In the first half of 2026, Vietnam was mainland China’s second-largest durian supplier, with exports worth 846 million USD, accounting for around 18% of China’s total durian imports. Vietnam ranked third among suppliers of fruits, vegetables and processed products, with exports valued at 2.22 billion USD, up 19.9%, raising its market share from 14% to 16.1%.

Vietnamese coffee is also gaining ground. China imported 99.6 million USD worth of coffee from Vietnam in the first five months, up 87.1%, lifting Vietnam’s share of China’s coffee imports from 8.8% to 15.3%.

However, competition is intensifying. Dang Phuc Nguyen, Secretary-General of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said Thailand maintained its dominance in China’s durian market thanks to logistics, quality control and stable supply chains. Malaysia, meanwhile, recorded rapid growth, with exports surging 342% to 30.26 million USD.

Amid oversupply and falling durian prices, experts stressed that expanding production must go hand in hand with meeting importers’ technical and quarantine requirements.

The Government’s Resolution No. 36/2026/NQ-CP, issued in late July, is expected to simplify procedures for granting and managing growing-area and packing-facility codes, helping remove bottlenecks and strengthen export capacity.

Nong Duc Lai, Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in China, said northeastern and southwestern China will remain key markets for Vietnamese agricultural products. He also highlighted opportunities arising from Chinese companies expanding production in Vietnam to tap tropical raw materials and access third-country markets./.