Opportunities for Dong Nai to boost Halal agricultural exports

With a Muslim population of nearly 2 billion and growing demand, the Halal market offers vast export potential. In 2023, Vietnam’s trade with 10 OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) members reached USD 45.7 billion, signaling strong momentum.

Halal-certified agricultural products from Dong Nai showcases at Bien Hoa trade event.

Dong Nai, with its advantageous location and established agricultural strengths—including coffee, pepper, cashew nuts, tropical fruits, vegetables, pork, poultry, and eggs—is well-positioned to enter the halal supply chain. Currently, 25 companies in the province hold halal certification and are already exporting products like dried fruits, coconut jelly, and rice flour to Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Iran, and the Middle East.

According to Tran Lam Sinh, Deputy Director of Dong Nai’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province is stepping up trade promotion efforts and workforce training to meet Halal standards. The presence of a local Muslim community presents a unique opportunity to develop a specialized labor force to support Halal production and certification systems.

However, businesses still face hurdles. A lack of market information and fragmented Halal certification standards across countries pose significant challenges. Additionally, the cost of production, logistics, and compliance with halal protocols remains high, especially for Vietnam’s small and medium enterprises.

Industry experts emphasize that beyond technical compliance, businesses must also understand Islamic consumer culture. According to Tran Van Tan Cuong, Director of Halal Vietnam, deeper engagement with the halal ecosystem, through trade fairs, policy coordination, and bilateral forums, is essential to unlock long-term growth.

Meanwhile, firms like Olympic Coffee (Nhon Trach) note growing domestic demand for halal-certified products due to their health, ethical, and environmental attributes. Yet, with limited dedicated halal promotion programs, companies still struggle to directly connect with target markets.

To move forward, Dong Nai aims to expand certification, build export-ready supply chains, and intensify strategic connections with global halal buyers.
Reported by B.Nguyen