In recent years, agriculture has continued to play an important role in Quang Ninh’s local economic structure and remains a key source of livelihoods for tens of thousands of farming households. Beyond its economic contribution, the sector underpins rural employment and social stability across many districts. However, the development of key agricultural product value chains in the province still faces persistent challenges, including fragmented small-scale production, aging fruit orchards, unstable consumption markets, and increasing risks associated with climate change.
These constraints have limited the ability of agricultural products to move beyond primary production and to generate higher added value through processing, branding, and stable market access.
A comprehensive assessment of key agricultural product value chains (2020–2024)
In response to these challenges, the Institute of Agricultural and Rural Planning Research conducted the study “Assessment of the current status of key agricultural product value chains in Quang Ninh province” for the period 2020–2024. The research was led by MSc. Bui Thi Minh Tuyet and BSc. Hoang Thi Thu Thom.
The study provides a comprehensive assessment of production, processing, consumption, and economic efficiency, while examining the level of production–consumption linkages within value chains. The analysis focuses on key agricultural products, including high-quality rice, vegetables, and fruit crops such as custard apple, lychee, and passion fruit. Through this approach, the research aims to generate evidence-based inputs to support agricultural restructuring toward greater sustainability.
Stable production trends, but yields and orchard aging raise concerns
Based on the synthesis of official statistical data, reports from the provincial agricultural sector, and field surveys of 120 farming households in Dong Trieu, Dam Ha, Tien Yen, Ba Che, and Van Don, the study indicates that the cultivated area and yields of key agricultural products remained generally stable or increased slightly during the 2020–2024 period.
High-quality rice continued to account for the largest share of cultivated land, representing approximately 40–45 percent of the annual planted area, followed by specialty fruit crops and vegetable production. This stability reflects sustained investment and policy attention at the provincial level.
At the same time, the study identifies several structural concerns. Rice yields remain below the regional average; custard apple and lychee orchards in several areas are entering an aging phase, reducing productivity and quality; and geographical conditions in districts such as Ba Che and Van Don constrain the expansion of cultivated areas. Vegetable and tea production has formed several concentrated zones and high-tech models, yet remains vulnerable to seasonal risks and increasing price competition.
Value chains are taking shape, yet production–consumption linkages remain uneven
Value-chain analysis shows that key agricultural products in Quang Ninh typically pass through multiple stages, including production, collection, preliminary processing, and distribution. In recent years, several production–consumption linkage models involving farmers, cooperatives, and enterprises have emerged, particularly in vegetable production and selected fruit crops such as custard apple, lychee, and passion fruit.
These linkages have contributed to higher added value, with vegetables generating approximately 45 percent added value, custard apple around 50 percent, and lychee about 52 percent—significantly higher than that of high-quality rice, which stands at roughly 28 percent.
However, the study also highlights that these linkages remain uneven and often lack stability. Many farmers continue to rely heavily on traders, while cooperatives frequently face limitations in management capacity, market access, and commercial negotiation. As a result, many products struggle to enter modern retail systems or access export markets, constraining the development of high-value agriculture.
VietGAP and organic models improve added value, at higher cost
A key component of the assessment is the comparison of economic efficiency between conventional production systems and VietGAP- and organic-oriented production models.
The results indicate that in vegetable production, profits increase from approximately VND 90 million per hectare under conventional practices to about VND 130–150 million per hectare when VietGAP or organic standards are applied. For fruit crops such as custard apple, lychee, and passion fruit, profits rise by an estimated 15–25 percent under VietGAP or organic production models. In the case of high-quality rice, VietGAP-based production demonstrates higher economic efficiency, while organic rice remains limited due to stringent technical requirements and high initial investment costs.
Overall, standards-based production contributes to higher selling prices, improved quality control, reduced market risks, and better access to formal markets. Nevertheless, higher input costs, certification expenses, and technical requirements continue to pose significant barriers, discouraging many farmers from transitioning to these models.
Market volatility and climate risks continue to affect economic efficiency
Beyond structural limitations within value chains, the study identifies several external risks that directly affect the economic efficiency of key agricultural products in Quang Ninh. Dependence on traders exposes farmers to price pressure and income instability, while the limited capacity of cooperatives constrains collective bargaining and market expansion.
Climate-related risks—including drought, localized heavy rainfall, and frost—have increasingly affected crop yields and production stability. In addition, fluctuations in market demand and rising input costs have further eroded profit margins, particularly for small-scale producers.
The study emphasizes that without improvements in logistics infrastructure, post-harvest storage and processing facilities, and overall value-chain organization, Quang Ninh’s agriculture will face difficulties in achieving a qualitative breakthrough in the coming years.
From assessment to action: Building sustainable agricultural value chains
Based on its findings, the research proposes a set of strategic solutions to promote sustainable agricultural development in Quang Ninh Province. These include restructuring crop varieties, rejuvenating aging fruit orchards, and developing varieties better suited to climate change conditions.
The study also recommends expanding VietGAP and organic production models, accompanied by targeted financial and technical support to help farmers overcome transition costs. Investments in infrastructure—such as smart irrigation systems, cold storage facilities, and post-harvest preservation—are identified as critical to reducing losses and improving product quality.
Strengthening linkages among farmers, cooperatives, and enterprises through stable off-take contracts, along with enhanced trade promotion to facilitate access to modern retail systems and export markets, is also highlighted as a priority.
Taken together, these measures aim not only to improve economic efficiency but also to enhance resilience to climate and market risks, in line with the transition toward green, smart, and circular agriculture.
The study “Assessment of the current status of key agricultural product value chains in Quang Ninh province” provides a solid empirical foundation and a coherent set of policy recommendations to support agricultural restructuring at the provincial level. As market demand and quality requirements continue to rise, the development of sustainable agricultural value chains will be essential to improving farmers’ incomes and strengthening the role of Quang Ninh’s agriculture within the broader economic landscape of Vietnam’s Northeast region.
Flash floods in Vietnam’s northern mountains are not only tallied in annual disaster statistics, they shape the land, livelihoods, and planning decisions across entire districts. As climate change intensifies extreme rainfall, the demand for reliable and accessible hazard maps becomes urgent. A research team from the Institute of Mechanics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) has demonstrated that Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) can meet this demand, producing high-precision, data-driven maps of flash flood risk for the northern communes of Tuyen Quang province, an area once part of Ha Giang’s rugged highlands.
From familiar plants such as okra, jute, Malabar spinach, and aloe vera, a research team from Kien Giang University has explored a new pathway to improve the treatment of domestic wastewater—one of the major pollution sources, accounting for more than 30% of all wastewater generated today. The study found that okra extract, a natural and readily available plant-based coagulant substance, achieved a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 64.18%, reduced turbidity by more than 89%, and significantly enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal when combined with PAC. These findings suggest strong potential for using plant-derived coagulant substances in small-scale household and community wastewater treatment models.
As Vietnam advances toward digital government and modern natural resource management, the land sector has emerged as a pioneering field requiring institutional, technological, and data governance reforms. A research group from the Department of Land Management under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, including experts Nguyen Khac The, Dinh Hong Phong, and Tran Van Tien, has conducted the study “Legal basis and requirements for institutional improvement in the implementation of electronic certificates of land use rights and ownership of assets attached to land.”
Traditional flooded rice cultivation in Vietnam ensures stable yields but consumes tens of billions of cubic meters of water and emits tens of millions of tons of methane (CH₄) annually. As Vietnam commits to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, the research and application of the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation technique have opened a new pathway, reducing irrigation water use by 20-50% and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by nearly half.
In the context of climate change, increasing water scarcity, and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improving water use efficiency in rice cultivation has become both a scientific priority and a central policy task. From field-level irrigation studies to standardized scientific water management procedures, Vietnam is gradually shaping a resource-efficient, low-emission agriculture, laying the groundwork for green transformation and sustainable development.
