At the regular press conference held on the morning of February 5, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment announced an overview of an economic sector that not only maintains its role as a "backbone" but is also transforming robustly toward modern, green, and sustainable development.
"Golden numbers" right from the starting line
January 2026 witnessed a spectacular acceleration in agro-forestry-fishery export turnover, nearing the 6.51 billion USD mark—a sharp increase of 29.5% compared to the same period last year. Among these, agricultural products emerged as the brightest spot, generating 3.6 billion USD in revenue (up 41.8%). Traditional commodities such as rice, coffee, cashew nuts, and fruits and vegetables continued to be favored in Asian and Western markets, affirming the standing of Vietnamese goods on the global food map.
From a production standpoint, despite the North facing severe, damaging cold spells, planting progress was maintained with nearly 2 million hectares of winter-spring rice sown. The livestock and fishery sectors also recorded stable recovery momentum, effectively satisfying domestic consumption and export demands.
Mindset shift: From "Production volume" to "Agricultural economics"
Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien affirmed that the sector's goal in 2026 goes beyond mechanical growth figures. The industry is carrying out a revolution in mindset: shifting decisively from a purely production-oriented mindset to an agricultural economic mindset.
This entails prioritizing ecological, circular, and high-tech agricultural models. Rather than merely focusing on yield, the Ministry is centering efforts on enhancing added value through deep processing, reducing post-harvest losses, and establishing transparent traceability systems. This serves as the key for Vietnamese agricultural products to overcome the stringent technical barriers of free trade agreements (FTAs).
Technology and Institutions – Two key driving forces
To realize the target of 3.7–4% growth and reach 73–74 billion USD in exports in 2026, the Ministry has identified two strategic spearheads:
- Digital transformation breakthrough: Building a synchronized sectoral database aimed toward "Digital Government" in agriculture. Data-driven management will facilitate more flexible, pragmatic production oversight.
- Administrative reform: The streamlining of research institutes and functional departments over the recent period has begun to prove effective, concentrating resources on strategic scientific projects, particularly crop varieties and biosafety.
Heading toward sustainable development
Environmental protection and climate change adaptation are no longer secondary considerations but have become overarching, integral tasks. Lessons learned from previous severe natural disasters compel the agricultural sector to take a more proactive stance in safeguarding water resources and curbing emissions.
Ultimately, the core objective of the 2026 Action Program remains improving the quality of life for farmers. Building new rural areas is not merely about erecting infrastructure; it is about establishing a sustainable ecosystem where businesses, cooperatives, and farmers are closely united within a prosperous value chain.
Information compiled and shared by the Communications Department of Saigon College of Pharmacy and Luong The Vinh University; we hope this brings you an engaging reading experience!
Source: https://nongnghiepvietnam.edu.vn/nong-nghiep-viet-nam-2026-khoi-dau-bung-no-va-khat-vong-ti-do/