Strengthening connections and expanding agricultural exports to the EU market

The European market offers significant potential and opportunities for Dong Nai businesses to connect and expand, particularly in the agricultural, forestry, and fisheries sectors.

Dong Nai enterprises and cooperatives promote and showcase their agricultural products at the 2025 Vietnam Outstanding Export Products Fair in Ho Chi Minh City in March 2025. Photo: Hai Quan.

In particular, after more than five years of implementation, the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) supports Vietnamese businesses, especially those in Dong Nai, in expanding their exports to European markets.

Major export market

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union (EU), with a population of over 450 million and a GDP of 19.4 trillion USD, is the world’s third-largest market for agricultural, forestry, and fisheries products. It is also Vietnam’s fourth-largest export market for these goods, accounting for around 12% of the country’s total export turnover in the sector. In the first nine months of 2025, Vietnam’s exports of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products to the EU reached 7.42 billion USD, up more than 40% compared to the same period last year.

Dong Nai regards the EU as a strategic partner in agricultural, forestry, and fishery trade. Trade between the province and the EU has exceeded 1 billion USD in the first nine months, with exports accounting for 949 million USD. Key products shipped to the EU include wood and wood products, coffee, rubber products, cashew nuts, pepper, fruits and vegetables, and confectionery.

Nguyen Duy Hung, Vice President of the Dong Nai Import-Export Association, notes that Dong Nai’s agricultural products, including cashew nuts, processed fruits, coffee, and pepper, have strong potential to expand exports to the EU market. Exporting to Europe requires meeting high standards for quality control, so exporters must stay well-informed and actively monitor market developments to boost their trade effectively.

Dang Tuong Khanh, Chairman of Trong Duc Cocoa Co., Ltd. in Phu Hoa Commune, Dong Nai Province, says that, alongside exporting raw materials and cocoa products to the company’s traditional markets such as Japan and the Republic of Korea, the company is also expanding exports, particularly fermented cocoa beans, to the European market.

“Europe is a major market with significant potential for developing the export of the region’s key agricultural products. The company focuses on improving raw material sources, applying clean production standards, and implementing traceability and cultivation area codes to actively connect with and expand its consumption and export markets, including Europe in the near future,” Dang Tuong Khanh added.

At the online workshop on promoting Vietnamese agricultural, forestry, and fishery exports to the EU held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in mid-November 2025, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang highlighted the ministry’s efforts to support localities, associations, and businesses in accessing the EU market more effectively. She noted ongoing dialogues with EU authorities to resolve obstacles and maximize the opportunities offered by EVFTA, alongside initiatives in technical cooperation and green transition to help Vietnam’s agricultural, forestry, and fishery sectors meet sustainable and green standards.

Focus on green standards

Experts note that European markets increasingly demand green production and environmentally sustainable products for imports.

Nguyen Cong An, CEO of Eco Technology 2A JSC in Tran Bien, Dong Nai, a company providing technology solutions to help businesses in the rubber, coffee, and wood sectors comply with EU export requirements, explained that the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) came into effect in June 2023. The EUDR aims to prevent deforestation and forest degradation, supporting environmental protection and climate change mitigation. To comply, companies must ensure full traceability to the plantation level, collecting precise geographic coordinates for each batch of raw materials such as coffee, rubber, and wood.

In addition to the challenges, exporters of coffee, rubber, and wood gain significant opportunities in the EU market. By meeting EUDR requirements, companies strengthen their credibility and competitiveness, earn the trust of EU partners, expand market share, and can achieve higher prices through transparency and sustainable practices.

Nguyen Duy Hung, Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Import-Export Association, added that export requirements for the EU go beyond technical regulations. They also cover environmental and social standards, traceability, and packaging requirements, all of which companies must adhere to carefully. Local businesses also need to stay informed about relevant free trade agreements, especially the EVFTA, where green production standards and traceability are key factors demonstrating a company’s commitment to the market and product quality.

Tran Mac Van Anh, representative of Medifood.IO Co., Ltd. in Nha Bich, Dong Nai, said the company considers Europe a highly potential market for expanding export channels, particularly for nutritional bar products. In addition to continuously improving product quality, the company actively adopts environmentally certified packaging, positioning itself to connect with partners and develop potential markets across Europe.

By Hai Quan – Translated by Tam Binh, Minho