Ample room for bilateral agricultural trade

During the meeting, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung emphasized that the bilateral trade value of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products between the two countries reached only about USD 178 million in 2024, a modest figure compared with actual potential. While there have been periods of growth, the trade relationship remains unstable and has yet to fully reflect the strengths and needs of both sides.

Deputy Minister Hoang Trung meets Pakistan’s Deputy Minister Nasir Hamid in Hanoi, July 10, marking the first bilateral visit on agricultural trade

Vietnam currently has strong agricultural exports such as tea, pepper, seafood, and processed fruits that have obtained Halal certification, well suited to Pakistan’s import demand. Pakistan is the world’s third-largest tea consumer. Both sides agreed to enhance technical cooperation, mutually recognize Halal certification, and facilitate smoother trade flows.

Pakistan expressed interest in accelerating the approval process for exporting various products to Vietnam, including beef, poultry, seafood, onions, potatoes, mangoes, and citrus fruits. Deputy Minister Nasir Hamid called on Vietnamese authorities to provide guidance and create favorable conditions for Pakistani businesses to meet requirements on quarantine, food safety, and plant protection.

In response, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung noted that Vietnam’s specialized agencies are closely coordinating with Pakistan. As of June 2025, Pakistan has been approved to export onions to Vietnam, while the potato dossier is expected to be finalized in July 2025. Other commodities are under review. The two sides also agreed to designate focal points for regular information exchange to ensure transparency and adherence to international standards.

Towards investment cooperation and a new legal framework

Beyond trade, leaders of the two ministries stressed the importance of investment and scientific research in agriculture. Vietnam welcomed Pakistani enterprises to participate in joint ventures with domestic companies, especially in deep processing, value-added production, and developing agri-value chains aimed at markets in South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

Scientific cooperation was highlighted as a promising area. Vietnam recognized Pakistan’s strengths in developing drought-resistant crop varieties and climate-adaptive agriculture. Both sides pledged to enhance expert exchanges, joint research, technology transfer, and training in crop and livestock breeding as well as farming techniques.

Vietnam welcomes Pakistani enterprises to invest in deep processing and agri-value chains targeting South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East

At the institutional level, Deputy Ministers Hoang Trung and Nasir Hamid agreed to soon initiate studies and negotiations to sign a new cooperation agreement to replace the expired 2011 Agriculture Cooperation Agreement. This new framework is expected to provide a stronger legal foundation for more stable, substantive, and sustainable cooperation in agriculture and the environment.

Trade statistics from the first six months of 2025 underscore the potential for expanded bilateral cooperation. Two-way trade between Vietnam and Pakistan reached nearly USD 351.2 million, down 12.54% compared with the same period in 2024. Of this, Vietnam’s imports from Pakistan were USD 87.5 million, down 51.41%, while exports to Pakistan rose to USD 263.6 million, up 19.1%. This resulted in a trade surplus of more than USD 176 million for Vietnam—a sharp increase of 327.83% year-on-year.

These figures reflect a shift in the trade balance while pointing to vast untapped opportunities if both countries effectively leverage their agricultural strengths—particularly in the context of growing global demand for Halal food. Pakistan’s visit is therefore viewed as a strategic step, expanding market access for Vietnamese agricultural products in the Halal sector while enhancing the international profile of agricultural cooperation between the two nations.

The Halal market, with a global consumer base worth trillions of dollars, is emerging as a major growth driver for agricultural exports. Expanding cooperation with Pakistan, a populous country with strong demand for Halal products—not only helps Vietnamese agricultural goods gain deeper access to a high-potential market but also serves as a springboard to South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. This is a strategic move that strengthens the global standing of Vietnamese agriculture while contributing to sustainable development, comprehensive integration, and adaptive growth in line with global trends.

Minh Thao