In recent years, Vietnam and Bulgaria have made significant progress in economic cooperation, but it is not yet up to par as expected as annual two-way trade turnover remains below US$100 million, says Nguyen Tuan Hai, a representative from the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Plenty of opportunity for cooperation
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam mainly exports rice, cashew nuts, coffee, pepper, frozen seafood, rubber products, leather, garment, footwear, computers and electronic components and imports pharmaceuticals, pesticides, wheat, animal food, materials and additives for animal food processing, manufacturing machinery and equipment, and construction materials.
Bulgaria has 7 projects worth US$30 million in Vietnam.
Svetla Zapryanova from the Belgium Ministry of Economy and Energy says the volume of trade exchange between the two countries has not matched their potential. “We are determined to lift bilateral trade ties to higher level,” Zapryanova affirms.
Bulgaria considers Vietnam as a bridge to its business penetration into Southeast Asian markets and it is ready to help Vietnamese businesses enter European markets, Zapryanova adds.
Currently, many Bulgarian businesses are willing to cooperate and share experience with Vietnamese partners in the fields of energy, health care, education and cosmetics.
Bulgarian Ambassador to Vietnam Evgueni Stoytchex says the two sides should join efforts to promote and diversify bilateral trade activities. One of the best ways is to turn Bulgaria into a destination for Vietnamese exports to Balkan and the EU through Varna, Burga and Danube ports as well as industrial zones.
Potential areas
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an important factor behind effective economic cooperation between the two countries. So the two sides should increase their investment cooperation in the potential areas of energy, pharmacy and garment.
Bulgarian companies are keen to invest in construction, irrigation and other infrastructure projects in Vietnam.
Ambassador Stoytchex says his Government is looking forward to more foreign investment in joint ventures to raise the competitiveness of Bulgarian exports.
A MoIT representative says Vietnam’s trade exchange with Bulgaria is still at a low level as compared with other Central and Eastern European countries as Bulgaria has a small population of 7.3 million.
To raise bilateral trade turnover, the two countries should give priority to areas of their strength, such as electric power, renewable energy, clean energy, energy security, transport infrastructure, information technology, biotechnology transfer, post-harvest processing and tourism.
They should also join efforts to conduct market research through trade promotion programs, business forums, fairs and seminars, says Zapryanova.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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