Agriculture in Vietnam

With advantages of great natural resources, Vietnam is one of the

fastest developing country getting started from agriculture.
Agriculture in Vietnam is one of the spear economic sectors in
Vietnam, mainly contributing the economic development of
Vietnam.
Agriculture is one of important Vietnam economic sectors. Currently, economic development
depends much on agriculture. In 2009, the value of agricultural output reached 71.473 trillion
(compared with 1994s price), increased by 1.32% in comparison to that in 2008, and accounted for
13.85% of the total domestic product. The gravity of agriculture in the economy declines in recent
years, while other economic sectors increase. The contribution of agriculture in creating jobs is
greater than its contribution in Vietnam GDP. In 2005, approximately 60% of the workforce was
employed in Vietnam agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. Agricultural production accounts for about
30% of exports in 2005. The liberalization of production in agriculture, especially rice production in
Vietnam helps Vietnam be the world leading country of rice exporter (in 2013). The other important
agricultural products are coffee, cotton, peanuts, high rubber, sugar, and tea.

Vietnam has great advantages to develop comprehensively. Natural conditions and resources allow
Vietnam to develop a tropical agriculture. With a tropical climate, differentiation in North South
direction and terrains height affect the fundamental and seasonal structure of agricultural products
in Vietnam. Differentiation in conditions of topography and soil both allows and requires the
application of different cultivation in regions. In the midland and mountainous areas, strengths are
perennials and large livestock. In plains, short crops, intensive cultivation, and aquaculture are main
fields. With the nature of tropical natural monsoon, Vietnam always has to struggle for disasters,
plant pests, and diseases. Vietnam is increasingly exploited effectively characteristics of tropical
agriculture. Groups of plants and animals are distributed in accordance with the agro-ecological
zones. The structure of the seasonal changes is important in structure of Vietnamese agriculture.
Seasonality is better exploited by promoting transportation, widely applying advances of processing
and storage Vietnam agricultural products. Exports of agricultural products (rice, coffee, rubber,
fruits) are promoted significantly.

To develop agriculture of Vietnam, modern agriculture of producing commodity contributes greatly to

increase the efficiency of tropical agriculture. Nowadays, in Vietnam agriculture, agriculture autarky
exists in parallel with traditional production, agriculture commodities, and modern technology. The
agriculture autarky is changing to agriculture commodities. During the period, characteristics of this
economic form are small-scale production, simple working tools, main labor force, and low
productivity. Besides, smallholder agriculture is autarkical (each locality produces many kinds of
agricultural products, and most products are consumed on spot). In addition, the kind of production
is popular in many regions in Vietnam economy. Production is oriented towards agriculture
commodities with intensive cultivation and specialization to boost productivity, using more
machinery, agricultural materials, new technologies (pre-harvest and post-harvest), and agriculture
associated with industrial processing and agricultural services. Currently, Vietnam economic
development in rural areas is changing significantly. Agricultural operation is major part of rural
economy. Agricultural economic sector in rural area includes agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. Non-
agricultural operations consist of industry, construction and services which account for greater part in
rural economy. Vietnam economy in rural area consists of many economic elements: agriculture
forestry fishery enterprises, collectives, households, and plantations.

It is known that agriculture remains the great advantage of Vietnam, given internally in the
agreement of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Accordingly, only Vietnam and Malaysia are two
tropical agricultural country, but Malaysia only produces a few products such as rubber and palm oil.
Therefore, Vietnam is the only agricultural country in the TPP. With approximately 70% of population
are farmers, Vietnam always appreciates the importance of issues related to farmers, agriculture and
rural development. Vietnam economy over the past 20 years after Doi Moi Reforms (1986-2008) has
achieved many positive achievements.

In 1989, the first yields surpassed 20 million tons, exported 1.4 million tons of rice with the turnover
of US$ 310 million. By 2007, the food production reached 39 million tons and exported 4.5 million
tons of rice with the turnover of US$ 1.7 billion. Over the past decade, Vietnam has become one of
the largest rice exporter in the world. Average GDP in agriculture sector annually increases of 3.3%;
income and people's living standards are improved, the poverty rate in rural areas decreases by
1.5% per year; rural areas change towards civilization; levels of culture, science, engineering, many
farmers are raised higher than before.
Currently, agriculture of Vietnam is developed in both quantity and quality to meet the demand of
global market. Vietnamese government also encourage agricultural to participate in international
fairs more to promulgate the quality of Vietnam agricultural products to the whole world. This is
considered a main target of Vietnam agriculture. At the same time, roles of associations of coffee
and rice are highly appreciated. In the context of integration, Vietnam increasingly defines its
strategic role in world agriculture. Although, there are many difficulties ahead, with the non-stop
efforts, Vietnam agriculture will catch its chance, have flexible, creative methods in the near future to
develop endlessly

Source: https://www.alotrip.com/about-vietnam-economy/agriculture-vietnam