Viet Nam and Sri Lanka are seeking stronger cooperation in fertilizers and farm technology, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoang Trung said during talks with Sri Lankan Ambassador to Vietnam Poshitha Perera in Hanoi on April 28.
At the meeting, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung said agricultural cooperation between Viet Nam and Sri Lanka had recently advanced through a number of specific programs focusing on fisheries, livestock, and animal health. The two countries have also signed several cooperation agreements that have produced initial positive results.
Although bilateral trade in agricultural, forestry, and fishery products remains modest, the deputy minister said there was significant room for growth, particularly as the two agricultural economies share similarities and have complementary strengths.
He said the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment hoped to work closely with the Sri Lankan Embassy to turn cooperation priorities into concrete projects based on Sri Lanka’s needs. Viet Nam asked Sri Lanka to clarify the list of agricultural machinery proposed for pilot support programs, as well as the receiving entities, to ensure effective implementation.
Regarding fertilizers, the ministry has received Sri Lanka’s proposal and has proactively connected it with domestic enterprises, he said.
Viet Nam is also ready to broaden cooperation in research and the transfer of science and technology for crop production and livestock farming, Hoang Trung added.
He praised Sri Lanka’s tea industry, known for its high-quality varieties, and said the sector could provide opportunities for both sides to share expertise.
Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Poshitha Perera thanked the ministry’s leadership for the reception and acknowledged recent positive progress in agricultural cooperation between the two countries, particularly in fisheries.
According to the ambassador, as Sri Lanka has faced challenges in agricultural production, Viet Nam has provided timely information and shared experience that helped strengthen Sri Lanka’s production capacity. Fertilizers and technology transfer have been identified as key pillars of future cooperation.
He added that, in the long term, Viet Nam-Sri Lanka agricultural cooperation would not only support production development but also create opportunities to increase bilateral trade value.
With concrete directions identified, particularly in fertilizers and agricultural machinery technology, cooperation between Viet Nam and Sri Lanka is expected to deliver tangible results soon and further strengthen practical, efficient, and sustainable agricultural trade.
At the first National Conference on Science and Technology for Livestock and Veterinary Development, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien said science and technology are not only drivers of growth but decisive factors shaping productivity, quality and the sector’s position. He also outlined key priorities for research institutions, regulators and businesses in the coming period.
Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and partners from the U.S. state of Ohio have signed a memorandum of understanding on soybean cooperation, aiming to expand trade, secure feed supply chains, and promote technology transfer, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung said at a meeting on March 27.
Building on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in September 2023, Viet Nam and China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region are advancing cooperation in agriculture and environment, focusing on smart agriculture, agri-product trade, fisheries, and cross-border disease control, with the aim of developing seamless and sustainable supply chains.
Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien stressed that the development of science and technology programs in the fisheries sector must be grounded in practical needs and focused on key priorities, in order to deliver highly applicable and scalable results, thereby promoting innovation and supporting the sector’s modern and sustainable development.
On March 23, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) agreed to strengthen cooperation in sustainable livestock development, food safety, disease prevention and control, and the transformation of food systems toward modernization and climate resilience.
