Agriculture and environment sector sees robust growth, exports surpass 21 billion USD

On May 13, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) held a conference to review tasks performed in April and deploy key tasks for May and the second quarter of 2025. Minister Do Duc Duy chaired the conference alongside Deputy Ministers Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa, Phung Duc Tien, Le Cong Thanh, and Le Minh Ngan.

Agriculture makes a strong comeback

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Do Duc Duy stated that Vietnam's Prime Minister highly commended the agriculture and environment sector.

Aquaculture has experienced notably robust growth, while crop cultivation, livestock farming, and aquaculture have all demonstrated positive momentum. In the initial four months of this year, the export turnover of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products exceeded USD 21.25 billion.

The Minister said that if the sector can sustain this growth momentum and swiftly resolve existing tariff-related issues with the U.S., achieving the annual export target of USD 65 billion and industry growth of approximately 4% is entirely feasible.

A drought has impacted production, billion-dollar durian bottlenecks

Minister Duy underscored that complacency is not an option, as global conditions continue to present a variety of risks, including trade competition, conflicts of interest, and market fluctuations, despite these positive achievements.

Two urgent matters have arisen on a domestic scale. Initially, the export of durian, a product that generated USD 3.2 billion in 2024, has been impeded by regulatory obstacles associated with inspections. At present, exports have only achieved 20% of the 2025 annual target.

Additionally, plant and animal diseases have grown increasingly complex. In numerous regions, severe challenges have arisen as a result of persistent drought. For example, Bac Giang province, a significant lychee-producing region, experienced only one rainfall event in the past month, which resulted in water scarcity and had a detrimental impact on agricultural production.

Local government organizations are also being restructured, which is affecting the sector's capacity to execute tasks, particularly those related to land clearance activities for irrigation projects.

The Minister encouraged all pertinent units to conduct a thorough evaluation of their accomplishments and to acknowledge any challenges or obstacles they may face openly. He also suggested practical and specific solutions to guarantee the timely completion of tasks in May, the second quarter, and the first half of the year.

“We are running short on time. Without determination and strong, practical solutions aligned with realities on the ground, it will be extremely difficult to meet our targets for the year and the entire term”, the Minister emphasized.

The export sector maintains its robust momentum, with the highest growth in years

The agricultural, forestry, and fisheries (AFF) sector reported a growth rate of 3.74% in the first quarter of 2025, the highest in recent years and exceeding the government's quarterly growth targets, according to the report. In particular, agriculture experienced a 3.53% increase, forestry experienced a significant 6.67% increase, and fisheries expanded by 3.98%..

Consistent growth in these three AFF pillars creates a robust foundation for achieving all of the growth objectives established for the second quarter, the first half, and the entire year 2025.

Exports maintained their robust upward trajectory concurrently with robust production. In comparison to the same period in 2024, the total export turnover of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products increased by 10.7% to USD 21.15 billion in the first four months. In this sum, agricultural products accounted for USD 11.6 billion (an 11.7% increase), forestry products USD 5.56 billion (an 11.2% increase), fisheries USD 3.09 billion (an 13.7% increase), livestock products USD 178 million (an 16.8% increase), and production inputs USD 722 million (an 20% increase).

Despite a small drop of 4.1% year-on-year, the sector maintained a trade surplus of USD 5.18 billion, which was still greater than the economy's overall trade surplus (USD 5.02 billion).

Administrative reform and public investment disbursement have experienced favorable changes

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment allocated VND 20,786 billion to initiatives in the public investment sector. The national average of 15.56% was surpassed by the disbursement rate of 16.3% as of May 5, 2025, which is indicative of the effective leadership and determination that were demonstrated in the execution of these critical tasks.

Concurrently, administrative reform initiatives have demonstrated promising outcomes. After receiving and processing 346,437 applications, the Ministry's functional organizations have achieved a completion rate of 97.6%. The public administrative system's operations have become increasingly efficient, as evidenced by the fact that 99.8% of these applications were resolved on time. This has significantly facilitated the lives of citizens and businesses.

The Ministry has completed consolidating leadership positions and established functions, responsibilities, and organizational structures for its 30 subordinate units in connection with implementing Government Decree No. 35.

It is remarkable that the newly optimized organizational structure has decreased by 24.19% compared to the previous set-up, indicating a transition to a more efficient and agile management model. Parallel to the stabilization of facilities at headquarters and subordinate units, the restructuring has been implemented without disrupting production and business operations or influencing the livelihoods of people everywhere.

Primary objectives for the forthcoming period

In the coming months, the sector will concentrate on a series of fundamental tasks to maintain growth momentum and adapt to new challenges. In preparation for the 1st Congress of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment for the 2025–2030 term, the Ministry will oversee the execution of the Party Committee's strategy for organizing Party congresses at all levels.

Simultaneously, the sector is resolute in its commitment to achieving the growth and trade objectives established for 2025. The conclusion of legal documents required to implement the two-tier local government model will be prioritized, and institutional development tasks will be expedited to ensure that they are completed by June 30, 2025.

In addition, the Ministry is currently executing plans to implement Resolution No. 57, which pertains to advancements in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, and Resolution No. 59, which pertains to international integration in the new period.

Concurrently, Plan No. 503's contents will be reviewed, revised, and integrated to guarantee compliance with the most recent government decrees and resolutions.

The Ministry will closely monitor developments, proactively propose response strategies, and comprehensively prepare materials to support the Government's negotiation delegation in light of the United States' application of reciprocal tax measures on Vietnamese imports.

Furthermore, the rigorous pursuit of Resolution No. 66, which aims to reduce and simplify administrative procedures related to production and business, will provide the business community with the most favorable conditions.