The Mekong Delta region is supplied with approximately 23 million tons of rice annually, as stated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)Mangoes, bananas and dragon fruits, pineapples (including kiwis, papaya, limere, mangoeses, and watermelon) and oranges/tangerines have been successfully grown in that region, with the total production of major fruit crops being almost5 million tons per year. In total, the Mekong Delta now accounts for more than 31 percent of the total production of the agricultural sector.
Tran Quoc Toan, deputy director of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said that in 2023, Vietnamese rice products will meet the demand of consumers in 27 countries and regions. Rice exports reached a new record in 2023: more than 8.3 million tons, equivalent to $4.7 billion, a 35.5 percent increase over 2022. In 2024, this number should be the same or even higher.
“Various Vietnamese goods, including rice, cashews, coffee, and pepper, are now available in South Africa. Notably, rice exports surpassed $6 million for the first time, in 2023. This solidifies Vietnam’s crucial role as a key food supplier in this country and the globe,” shares Mr. Pham Thanh Hai, First Secretary at the Vietnam Trade Office in South Africa.
Many countries worldwide rely on the Mekong Delta as a crucial source of seafood. Truong Dinh Hoe, secretary general of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, said that from the beginning of the current year until now, Vietnam has exported a significant amount of shrimp, pangill, tuna, octopus, blue crab and other aquatic products.
A total value of 2 billion dollars to various countries around the world. Among other seafood and molluscs, shrimp exports nearly $700 million, followed by pangasius with nearly $500 million. The top five importers of Vietnamese seafood are the United States, Japan, Europe, South Korea and Australia.
Vietnamese products have had and continue to have a significant impact on global consumer demand. One of the top five food suppliers in the world, as per a recent Oxford Economics study, is Vietnam. In addition, the country has a 15 percent market share of global rice production.
As of 2023, several global distribution groups have established offices in the southern region to source goods from the region. The new supplier development manager of Walmart Vietnam, Nguyen Duc Trong, mentioned that the group has established a purchasing center in Vietnam.
Through partnerships with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the group obtained goods like Hoa Loc mangoes, pomelos, star apples, and durians from companies, farmers, or cooperatives in the Mekong Delta region. In particular, Vietnam is among the top five suppliers of goods to Walmart, valued at about $7 billion annually.The Vietnamese market is now a popular destination for purchasing fruits, agricultural products and Vietnamese-style foods from Walmart’s outlets.
