Competitive pressure on agriculture
According to experts from the European Trade Policy and Investment Support Project (EU-Mutrap), agriculture and seafood have emerged as vulnerable sectors for both Vietnam and the EU during the FTA negotiation process. Both sides have applied the highest levels of protectionism and other subsidy instruments to support the sectors.
Obviously, any changes in agricultural policy will have a big impact on employment, poverty reduction and rural development. That’s why both Vietnam and the EU try to protect their agriculture against fierce competition when opening markets.
Do Lien Huong, an EU-Mutrap expert, reveals agricultural commodities are Vietnam’s strength and many of them such as coffee, potatoes, sugar and rice are able to compete with similar products in the EU market.
The country exports a large amount of cashew nuts and seafood products, but does not pay due attention to shipping milk and dairy products abroad.
On the contrary, Vietnam has a high demand for importing input materials to feed farm produce processing. For instance, 70% of livestock feed was imported last year.
In addition, the EU’s non tariff measures (NTMs), such as food safety and hygiene requirements, and customs procedures are among the toughest in the world, and they are really a big challenge for developing countries, including Vietnam.
Industry no exception
Paul Barker, an EU-Mutrap analyst, says EVFTA will help fuel the growth of six key Vietnamese fields – garment, footwear, automobile, high-technology, handicrafts and timber processing. However, the industry still meets many challenges.
Under the trade pact, the footwear sector will greatly benefit from import tax cuts and other incentives, but face fierce competition from other footwear producers such as India, Indonesia, Thailand and newly emerging markets like Myanmar.
Meanwhile, the garment sector will find it a bit difficult to get the lion’s share in the EU market because it greatly relies on imported input materials, mostly from China, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan. Therefore, its products are unlikely to compete with similar ones in the EU in terms of prices, designs, and technological advantages.
The wood processing industry is no exception as up to 80% of its materials are imported. The handicraft industry which mainly uses domestic materials like bamboo, wood and ceramic, recently began importing these materials from China, Laos and Cambodia for production. This means both industries will go into fierce competition in the EU market.
Furthermore, importers’ demanding requirements and strict EU rules of origin remain huge barriers to Vietnamese products.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
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