Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Hung and Saudi Ambassador to Viet Nam Thamer Mohamed Algosaibi discussed measures to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, agricultural trade, investment, Halal development, and food supply chains during a meeting on June 8. Both sides said significant opportunities remain for deeper collaboration as demand for food security and diversified supply sources continues to grow.
Expanding opportunities for agricultural cooperation
At the meeting held at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment headquarters, Deputy Minister Vo Van Hung received Ambassador Thamer Mohamed Algosaibi of Saudi Arabia. The two sides exchanged views on expanding cooperation in agriculture, agricultural trade, food supply chain development, investment, and Halal-related activities.
Deputy Minister Vo Van Hung said the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment highly values its partnership with Saudi Arabia, one of Viet Nam's leading partners in the Middle East. Given the complementary strengths and needs of the two economies, he expressed confidence that cooperation would continue to expand in agriculture, trade, investment, and agricultural logistics.
According to the Deputy Minister, bilateral trade between Viet Nam and Saudi Arabia has exceeded US$3 billion. However, agricultural products account for only about 15% of total trade turnover, indicating considerable room for further cooperation.
To further advance bilateral ties, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trinh Viet Hung sent a letter on May 26, 2026, to Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen AlFadley, proposing closer cooperation in agriculture, trade in agricultural, forestry and fishery products, food supply chain development, and sustainable agricultural investment.
The proposal builds on previous discussions between the two sides on expanding agricultural cooperation. Viet Nam has repeatedly called for greater market access for agricultural and fishery products, expanded cooperation in the Halal food sector, and stronger participation by businesses from both countries in food supply chains and agricultural processing. The two sides have also discussed strengthening business connectivity, logistics development, and investment in agriculture and the food industry. These areas are aligned with Saudi Arabia's efforts to strengthen food security and diversify supply sources.
Speaking about future cooperation, Ambassador Algosaibi said Viet Nam is among 24 countries selected by Saudi Arabia for enhanced cooperation under the Kingdom's Saudi Vision 2030 program.
The national development strategy aims to diversify the economy, reduce dependence on oil revenues, and prioritize food security, high-tech agriculture, the food industry, and the development of Saudi Arabia as a regional hub for trade, investment, and logistics in the Middle East. Under the strategy, food security is a key priority, driving efforts to increase imports and diversify food supplies. Cooperation on Halal products and food supply chains with international partners is also viewed as an important component of achieving these objectives.
According to the Ambassador, priority agricultural and food products of interest to Saudi Arabia include rice, livestock and poultry meat, seafood, corn, soybeans, animal feed, vegetable oils, sugar, tropical fruits and vegetables, and Halal-certified processed food products. Vietnam has strong production and export capacity in all of these sectors.
Focus on market access, Halal cooperation and investment
Given the potential for cooperation, Deputy Minister Vo Van Hung urged Saudi Arabia to consider reopening its market to Vietnamese pangasius and farmed shrimp products. He also proposed that technical experts from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) visit Viet Nam to assess the country's quality control, food safety, and fishery quarantine systems.
In the Halal sector, Deputy Minister Vo Van Hung proposed closer cooperation in building a Halal ecosystem through policy exchanges, human resource development, training, expert capacity building, and the development of Halal certification organizations. He also called for stronger links between Halal food producers, processors, and distributors in both countries.
Viet Nam is also interested in exploring the establishment of an agricultural and food supply corridor linking Viet Nam with Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment welcomed Saudi businesses to explore investment opportunities in agricultural processing, the food industry, livestock production, water-saving irrigation technologies, cold storage facilities, and agricultural logistics in Viet Mam.
Ambassador Algosaibi agreed that bilateral cooperation still holds substantial growth potential, particularly in agriculture and Halal trade.
He praised Viet Nam's capacity to supply agricultural and food products and said he would continue facilitating cooperation between government agencies and businesses in both countries while conveying Viet Nam's proposals to relevant Saudi authorities.
The discussions reflected both countries' commitment to strengthening practical and effective agricultural cooperation. As global demand for food security and resilient supply chains continues to rise, agricultural trade, agricultural investment, Halal products, and food supply chain development are expected to become key pillars of Viet Nam-Saudi Arabia cooperation in the years ahead.
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