Promoting market access: Rice as a strategic priority

During the meeting, both sides agreed to prioritize rice exports as a key area of cooperation. Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam affirmed that Vietnam is ready to supply a stable and high-quality rice source to Egypt. Meanwhile, Egypt, with a population of over 108 million, faces an annual rice shortfall of approximately 200,000 tons, making imports essential to ensure food security.

On 23 September, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam met with Mr. Adham Omar, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Egypt in Vietnam, to discuss agricultural cooperation and the potential for a joint memorandum to promote bilateral agri-trade

“The potential for agricultural trade between the two countries is very large, while current trade in agricultural products is under US$50 million, a small fraction of the total bilateral trade of over US$500 million,” Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam emphasized.

Beyond rice, Vietnam aims to expand exports of seafood, coffee, cashew nuts, pepper, and fruits and vegetables to the Egyptian market. Conversely, Egypt is interested in promoting exports of grapes, potatoes, and dates to Vietnam, following the approval for oranges, lemons, and tangerines.

To facilitate this, both sides agreed to establish a Joint Working Group to exchange information regularly, address obstacles promptly, and promote flexible payment solutions to ensure the interests of enterprises on both sides.

Notably, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam proposed organizing a Vietnam–Egypt Agricultural Trade Promotion Forum in October 2025, with the participation of key import-export companies. This forum is expected to provide a platform for the two sides to reach substantive agreements, translating cooperation from policy direction into concrete action.

Reviewing Vietnam–Egypt agricultural cooperation

Regarding market access, Vietnam has officially allowed the import of various Egyptian agricultural products, initially including oranges, lemons, and tangerines. Notably, from 15 November 2024, fresh Egyptian grapes received plant quarantine permits for export to Vietnam. By July 2025, Egypt provided the list of grape production areas and packing facilities, which was publicly posted on the website of the Plant Production and Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. Following Egypt’s request, potatoes, dates, and pomegranates are expected to be prioritized for access to the Vietnamese market.

Mr. Adham Omar, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Egypt in Vietnam, highlighted Egypt’s focus on green agricultural development and long-term partnerships, praising Vietnam’s achievements and export capacity in rice and seafood, and noting opportunities for a new memorandum on rice trade

Currently, Vietnam exports many key products to Egypt, including rice, coffee, pepper, cashew nuts, rubber, dried coconut, cinnamon, wood and wood products, and frozen and processed foods. Due to geographic distance and similar climate conditions, fresh fruits are not yet a strong export category to Egypt. However, rice remains the focal point for market expansion.

Additionally, during the second session of the Vietnam–Egypt Subcommittee on Trade and Industry (August 2021), Egypt requested support for fertilizer market access. Vietnam confirmed its policy to encourage organic fertilizers while requiring businesses to comply strictly with the 2018 Plant Protection Law and Decree 84/2019/ND-CP on fertilizer management.

Regarding the cooperation framework, the two countries have signed two important Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs): in 2017, the MoU on fisheries development was signed during the Egyptian President’s visit to Vietnam; in 2018, the MoU on agricultural cooperation was signed during the Vietnamese President’s visit to Egypt.

Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam presented a gift to Mr. Adham Omar, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Egypt in Vietnam, during their meeting on bilateral agricultural cooperation

These agreements have provided an important legal foundation, promoting comprehensive agricultural cooperation between the two countries and opening opportunities for businesses to penetrate each other’s markets more deeply.

The 23 September meeting is considered a significant milestone, marking a new phase of substantive agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and Egypt. Focusing on rice and other key agricultural products, combined with regular dialogue mechanisms and trade promotion forums, will help both countries not only increase trade volumes but also gradually build sustainable value chains and work toward a balanced trade relationship.

With strong commitment from both sides, agriculture is expected to continue being a highlight of Vietnam–Egypt relations, contributing directly to each country’s sustainable development and food security goals.

Egypt was the first North African country to recognize Vietnam as a full market economy (2013) and is now an important trade partner in the region. In 2024, bilateral trade reached US$541.36 million, with Vietnam posting a trade surplus of approximately US$472.63 million.

Khanh Linh - Ngoc Huyen