Uruguay requests priority access for beef to the Vietnamese market

The two sides agreed to facilitate the prompt entry of Uruguayan beef into the Vietnamese market, while accelerating the finalization of the draft MoU on fisheries cooperation.

On August 18, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Deputy Minister Nguyen Quoc Tri received and held a working session with Matías Carámbula, Deputy Minister of Uruguay’s Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, and his delegation.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Nguyen Quoc Tri congratulated Uruguay on the successful Fourth Session of the Viet Nam - Uruguay Joint Committee on Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation. He affirmed that the mechanism is important for the two sides to exchange views and reach agreement on orientations and solutions to promote economic and trade cooperation, including in agriculture.

“Viet Nam highly values Uruguay’s active role in the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), as well as the country’s strengths in beef cattle, sheep, dairy and high-quality agricultural products. We hope the two countries will promote practical, effective and mutually beneficial agricultural cooperation that is aligned with the needs and strengths of each side,” Deputy Minister Tri emphasized.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Matías Carámbula highlighted the potential to expand agricultural trade between Viet Nam and Uruguay, with an initial focus on meat products. Uruguay called on Viet Nam to accelerate market access procedures for Uruguayan meat and livestock products, prioritizing live cattle and beef products.

Beyond the meat sector, Deputy Minister Matías Carámbula said the two sides should continue discussions to identify agricultural product groups with strong potential and select priority areas for cooperation in the coming period.

“With a stable institutional environment and the capacity to meet international requirements, Uruguay has strong potential to become a reliable agricultural trade partner for Viet Nam. We are ready to serve as a bridge, helping Vietnamese products gain greater presence in the Latin American market and promoting exports to the region,” Deputy Minister Matías Carámbula said.

Acknowledging Uruguay’s proposal, Deputy Minister Nguyen Quoc Tri said he had instructed relevant authorities to review the dossiers and documents provided by Uruguay. The assessment is being conducted in accordance with regulations on import risk analysis. Any decision to open the market will be based on scientific evidence, comply with animal disease control and food safety requirements, and align with international practices.

The Deputy Minister asked Uruguay to continue coordinating closely and provide all necessary information in a timely and complete manner to facilitate the assessment process.

In addition, Deputy Minister Nguyen Quoc Tri expressed his hope that Uruguay would pay attention to, coordinate on and support Viet Nam’s key agricultural products, particularly fruits and seafood such as pangasius and mollusks, thereby contributing to increasing bilateral agricultural trade.

The two sides also discussed prospects for increasing agricultural trade amid efforts to advance negotiations on a free trade agreement between MERCOSUR and Viet Nam, as well as Uruguay’s process of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Regarding fisheries, both sides agreed to continue discussions and designate focal points to coordinate on finalizing a draft MoU, creating a framework to promote cooperation between the relevant authorities of Viet Nam and Uruguay.

Phuong Linh