Vietnam Agriculture & Food insights

The cashew production season in the Northern Hemisphere has concluded, and according to experts from Olam Food Ingredients (OFI), a leading global supplier of food and beverage ingredients, the global cashew export volume for the 2024/25 season is expected to increase by approximately 10% compared to the previous season. Most of these exports were completed before the end of July, which slightly alleviated the raw material shortages faced by processors in Vietnam and India. OFI noted that processing volumes in Asia and Africa peaked in the third quarter, and export volumes will continue to rise in the coming months as suppliers fulfill existing contracts. Purchase volumes from major consumer regions such as the European Union, China, and the Middle East have increased, leading to tighter inventories. The United States increased its purchases in the first two quarters, but subsequent import volumes declined due to tariffs imposed by Trump and market uncertainties. Demand in India has also decreased, but market experts anticipate a gradual recovery starting with the festive season in September. Purchase intentions from China and Europe are expected to remain stable in the short term—the strengthening euro has boosted trading activity, with buyers seeking price advantages while meeting part of their needs. However, U.S. demand is expected to further shrink, with high retail prices making consumers more cautious. Data from the Vietnam Cashew Association (Vinacas) shows that from January to July 2025, Vietnam exported 83,000 tons of cashews to the United States, valued at $561 million, a decrease of 27.5% and 11.7% respectively compared to the same period last year. Although Vietnam still holds over 87% of the U.S. market, its value share is declining. From January 1, 2025, to September 14, 2025, the European Union's cashew imports increased by nearly 5% compared to the same period last year, with an average import price of 6.45 euros per kilogram, which is 20% higher than last year.

(Chuncheon=Yonhap News) Reporter Yang Ji-woong = The Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Agricultural Technology Institute held a memorandum of understanding ceremony with the National Corn Research Institute in Hanoi, Vietnam on the 22nd (local time) to improve the efficiency of corn breeding. The two institutions plan to utilize Vietnam's mild winter climate to complement the limitations of domestic single-season research and expedite the overall period of variety development. The Corn Research Institute of the Provincial Agricultural Technology Institute is a key institution in the domestic corn seed industry, contributing to the increase in farmers' income through the development and distribution of superior varieties. The National Corn Research Institute of Vietnam has a climate environment that allows seed propagation and test cultivation even in winter, making it a suitable research institution for winter generation promotion. The two institutions plan to operate a winter period generation shortening research according to the breeding roadmap, maintain a permanent consultation channel, and expand the exchange of experts between the two countries to contribute to solving current issues. Kim Dong-hoon, the director of the Agricultural Technology Institute, said, "This agreement is an opportunity to strengthen the international cooperation basis for Gangwon corn research" and "We will promote the development of new varieties that meet field needs through close cooperation with the National Corn Research Institute of Vietnam."

The Import-Export Agency is seeking opinions on the draft Circular regulating the tariff rate quotas (TRQ) for the import of salt and poultry eggs in 2026 to implement Vietnam's commitments at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and to manage imports reasonably to protect domestic production. The actual quota is always lower than the WTO commitment The TRQ amount committed to in the WTO for salt in 2007 was initially 150,000 tons, and for poultry eggs, it was 30,000 dozens. With an annual quota growth rate of 5%, the 2026 quota amount according to the commitment for salt is 379,043 tons and for poultry eggs is 75,809 dozens (equivalent to 909,708 eggs). Based on the Foreign Trade Management Law 2017, the annual TRQ amount will be decided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) based on the actual situation, then notified to the Ministry of Industry and Trade to be officially announced. In reality, the announced annual TRQ amount is often adjusted to suit the ...