Integrating agricultural products into global value chain

From an early stage, Dong Nai has leveraged its industrial development advantages to become a pioneer in applying mechanization and high technology to agricultural sector and oriented it toward large-scale commodity production. At the same time, Dong Nai has also taken early steps to steer agricultural development toward green and circular models aimed at global markets.

A large-scale cocoa farming area associated with production, processing, and export linkage chains in Phu Hoa Commune.

Following administrative restructuring, Dong Nai is not only the country’s livestock “capital” but also ranks among the nation’s leading localities in acreage, output, and value for numerous industrial crops and fruit varieties. As a result, Dong Nai City continues to attract major domestic and international investors, forming integrated linkage chains spanning livestock farming, crop cultivation, processing, distribution, and exports.

Developing commercial agriculture

After the merger, Dong Nai City possesses more than one million hectares of agricultural land. The locality maintains its position as Vietnam’s livestock “capital” with one of the country’s largest populations of cattle and poultry. Notably, livestock production has shifted early toward industrialized, high-tech, large-scale operations. Currently, pig herds total about 3.94 million animals, with industrial farms applying advanced technologies accounting for around 90% of total pig herd. Poultry numbers stand at approximately 32.6 million chickens, with nearly 89% raised in closed-loop farming systems.

During a recent working session with Dong Nai authorities, Le Hong Phong, Director of the Central Veterinary Hygiene Inspection Center II, commented: “Dong Nai is the livestock “capital” of the country, accounting for the largest share of livestock production nationwide. The sector has attracted numerous major corporations and enterprises to invest in closed-loop chains ranging from feed production and breeding to farming, processing, and exports.”

With more than 503,000 hectares of perennial industrial crops and nearly 99,500 hectares of fruit cultivation, Dong Nai is also considered a major production center for export-oriented crops. Key crops have been strategically planned and organized into concentrated production zones and specialized farming regions with strong export potential and high economic value, suitable to local natural conditions. To date, the city has established more than 300 concentrated agricultural production areas. Several key crops rank among the country’s largest by acreage, including: rubber with more than 285,000 hectares; cashew covering nearly 176,000 hectares; durian more than 23,000 hectares; and bananas more than 20,000 hectares, respectively.

Farmers in the city are very dynamic and creative in applying scientific advances to production such as: investing in new varieties, introducing new machinery and technology into production; continuously expanding the area of crops granted planting area codes for export to international markets.

Speaking at the ceremony held in early April to kick off Dong Nai’s banana exports and promote its agricultural exports in 2026, Deputy Chief of the Southern Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, said: “In 2025, fruit and vegetable export turnover reached nearly US$8.6 billion, up almost 20% from the previous year. Dong Nai has emerged as a leading locality in commercial agriculture, with fresh fruits already exported to many major markets. Expanding growing area codes, attracting packaging investments, and strengthening quality control are helping the city improve competitiveness and gradually meet international standards.”

Meeting global market standards

Alongside attracting investment in the industrial, trade, and service sectors, Dong Nai has long been an attractive destination for many foreign investors in the agricultural sector. Specifically, in the field of cultivation and processing, there are Nestlé Vietnam Limited belonging to Nestlé Group, Syngenta Vietnam Limited belonging to Syngenta Group (Switzerland)... In the livestock sector, there is C.P. Vietnam Corporation of C.P. Group (Thailand), CJ Vina Agri Co., Ltd. of CJ Group (South Korea)…

Many  of these enterprises have applied advanced technologies and developed livestock production along closed-loop value chains, extending from farming to deep processing for export markets. Some large corporations have also invested heavily in large-scale meat-processing facilities dedicated to exports.

The entire city currently has 194 growing area codes covering 14,000 hectares, and 82 packing facilities that have been granted codes to serve exports to markets such as China, the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand…

Koyu & Unitek Co., Ltd., located in Long Binh Ward, was among the first enterprises to invest in a fully integrated poultry production, slaughtering, and processing chain for export to the Japanese market. General Director Tran Nhon Hieu said: “On average, the company processes about one million chickens per month. Export volumes reach around 300–350 tons monthly, mainly processed products. We continue diversifying our portfolio and currently offer around 40 processed products for export markets.” Beyond Japan, the company plans to expand exports to Hong Kong and European markets.

Nedspice Processing Vietnam Limited, a Dutch-invested company, has been operating globally in pepper and agricultural products. It exported around 28,000 tons of spices and agricultural goods in 2025. The company currently operates two modern processing plants located in Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Tam Commune, Dong Nai City.

Jos van Gulick, General Director of Nedspice Processing Vietnam Limited, shared: In the coming years, the company will further expand agricultural exports to demanding markets such as the EU, the U.S., and Japan. Between 2026 and 2030, the company hopes to deepen cooperation with local authorities to expand safe organic pepper production linkage chains, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of agricultural products in international markets. The company is also considering additional investment in a large-scale deep-processing pepper factory in Dong Nai linked to the development of sustainable raw material areas.

By Binh Nguyen - Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha