4 Belarusian companies licensed to export boneless beef to Viet Nam
On August 25, Dennis Nikalayeu, Trade Counsellor at the Embassy of Belarus in Viet Nam, visited and held a working session at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to review bilateral agricultural cooperation and discuss upcoming activities.
Dennis Nikalayeu, Trade Counsellor at the Embassy of Belarus in Viet Nam, works with Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation. Photo: Phuong Linh.Welcoming Trade Counsellor Dennis Nikalayeu, Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy Director General of International Cooperation Department, said agricultural cooperation between the two countries has been developing positively under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Viet Nam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
According to Mau, the agricultural sectors of the two countries are highly complementary. However, bilateral trade in agricultural, forestry and fishery products remains modest and has yet to match its potential. In 2025, bilateral trade in these products totaled only around 10 million USD, a significant decline from previous years and far below the peak of approximately 90 million USD in 2021.
Viet Nam currently exports key products to Belarus, including seafood, rice, cassava, cashew nuts, tea and rubber. Products with further export potential include tropical fruits, vegetables and coffee. In the opposite direction, Viet Nam mainly imports fertilizers from Belarus and is gradually expanding imports of livestock products, including beef.
Deputy Director General Pham Ngoc Mau called on Belarus to continue providing all required information to facilitate the assessment process and accelerate market access for meat products from the country. Photo: Phuong Linh.Against this backdrop, expanding market access has been identified as an important solution to boost bilateral agricultural trade. In recent years, Viet Nam and Belarus have actively coordinated to resolve procedures related to the import of animal-origin products.
A notable outcome has been the opening of the Vietnamese market to Belarusian beef. According to Dennis Nikalayeu, thanks to active coordination from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Viet Nam, four Belarusian companies have been licensed to export boneless beef to Viet Nam.
“The first shipment of beef entered the Vietnamese market in April 2026 and received positive feedback. We are now preparing the next shipment and will provide the Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health with an additional list of eligible exporters,” Trade Counsellor Dennis Nikalayeu said.
The Belarusian representative also welcomed progress in licensing canned beef exports and expressed a desire to introduce more processed meat products to the Vietnamese market.
Trade Counsellor Dennis Nikalayeu said Belarus hopes to introduce more processed meat products to the Vietnamese market. Photo: Phuong Linh.
In the opposite direction, Deputy Director General Pham Ngoc Mau called on Belarus to continue supporting expanded EAEU market access for Vietnamese agricultural and seafood products. Viet Nam hopes Belarus will engage with Russia and other Union members to facilitate the addition of more eligible Vietnamese seafood exporters to the approved list.
Currently, the number of Vietnamese companies authorized to export meat and seafood to the EAEU is only around one-sixth of the number of Belarusian companies authorized to export to Viet Nam. This represents significant room for both sides to further address technical barriers and promote more balanced and mutually beneficial trade.
Addressing bottlenecks, expanding bilateral agricultural markets
During the meeting, the two sides continued discussions on challenges related to market access for pork and poultry products. Trade Counsellor Dennis Nikalayeu said that promoting agricultural exports to Viet Nam still faces some obstacles, partly because the dossier review process can be lengthy. He therefore called for stronger coordination between the two sides to help businesses promptly prepare complete dossiers that meet Viet Nam’s requirements.
Dennis Nikalayeu, Trade Counsellor at the Embassy of Belarus in Viet Nam, poses for a commemorative photo with Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department. Photo: Phuong Linh.Regarding poultry meat, Belarus has responded to requests from the Department of Animal Health and Production for additional information. The Vietnamese competent authority is reviewing the dossier and is expected to provide a written response soon. Meanwhile, the two sides continue to exchange and supplement information to complete the import risk assessment for pork.
In addition, the two countries have been cooperating on products including poultry meat and bone meal since 2025. Belarus hopes to continue working with Viet Nam to expand the range of products and promote more substantive and effective agricultural trade.
The two sides also plan to consider holding the third meeting of the Agricultural Working Group in late 2026 to review cooperation progress, address outstanding issues and identify priority areas for the coming period.