Vietnam and Egypt set sights on strategic agricultural trade pact

In a move to significantly deepen economic ties, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam met with Adham Omar, Chargé d'Affaires of the Egyptian Embassy in Vietnam, to discuss forging a new trade agreement.

In a move to significantly deepen economic ties, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam met with Adham Omar, Chargé d'Affaires of the Egyptian Embassy in Vietnam, to discuss forging a new trade agreement. 

The Deputy Minister underscored that agriculture was a key component of the recent state visit by President Luong Cuong to Egypt. Following the visit, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment was tasked with preparing ideas for a trade agreement with Egypt's Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation.

Deputy Minister Nam stressed the substantial room for growth in bilateral agricultural trade, noting that the current figure accounts for a very minor share of the total two-way trade, which exceeds USD 500 million.

He pointed out Vietnam's strengths in seafood, coffee, and rice, which complement Egypt's vital supply of cotton and fertilizer.

Mr. Nam recalled that a previous technical cooperation memo between the two Ministries of Agriculture overlooked the commercial aspect. "We hope to exchange and agree with Egypt to concentrate on agricultural trade, especially in key commodities where both sides have strengths and demand", he stated.

Chargé d'Affaires Omar noted that Egypt, while pursuing a green agricultural development strategy, seeks long-term relationships with stable suppliers. He confirmed that a 2018 cooperation agreement is creating an opportunity to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding, with a particular focus on rice trade.

Mr. Omar mentioned that despite having expanded cultivation and cleared some crops like oranges for export, Egypt still imports rice due to high domestic consumption. He emphasized that for trade to grow, both parties must carefully evaluate pricing, competitiveness, and non-tariff conditions.

The Egyptian diplomat proposed forming a joint working group that would connect authorized agencies online to facilitate deeper discussions, quickly resolve obstacles, and promote efficient cooperation.

Deputy Minister Nam agreed to this mechanism, assigning the International Cooperation Department to lead coordination efforts with the Egyptian side. He further emphasized the need to agree on a timeline for signing the letter of intent and suggested considering a separate agreement focused exclusively on rice.

Beyond rice, Egypt is keen on Vietnam opening its market to more of its fruits. Deputy Minister Nam confirmed that Egyptian fresh grapes have met phytosanitary requirements and are now cleared for export to Vietnam. He added that Egypt’s next prioritized requests are potatoes, fresh dates, and pomegranates, and asked the Egyptian side to officially submit their prioritized list to fast-track the necessary procedures.

Linh Linh