Minister of Agriculture and Environment Đỗ Đức Duy (right) had talks with US Ambassador to Việt Nam Marc Knapper on March 26. — Photo from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment

HÀ NỘI — With complementary agricultural products, agricultural trade between Việt Nam and the United States is expected to grow further, heard a working session between Minister of Agriculture and Environment Đỗ Đức Duy and US Ambassador to Việt Nam Marc Knapper in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

Ambassador Knapper affirmed US support for Việt Nam's sustainable development, particularly in climate change response, natural resource management, and fisheries.

The diplomat expressed his desire to continue cooperating with the Vietnamese government to promote agricultural development and environmental protection, contributing to strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries.

He said balancing bilateral agricultural trade is a key issue of interest to President Donald Trump, suggesting Việt Nam further open its market.

Duy noted that the recent discussions between Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) allowed his ministry to better understand the interests of US firms.

The key agricultural products of the two countries complement each other rather than compete. Therefore, Việt Nam is willing to open its market to US agricultural products, he said.

The Vietnamese ministry has approved 60 out of 61 applications for genetically modified food, mainly maize and soybeans for animal feed. In 2024, Việt Nam imported nearly US$1.5 billion worth of these products from the US, according to the official.

Regarding market access for US mandarins, Duy said the ministry has drafted import conditions, which are expected to be finalised by March 2025. For plums and lemons, Việt Nam is allocating additional resources to simultaneously approve both products, with the submission for the draft pest risk analysis (PRA) report scheduled for April and May 2025.

Ambassador Knapper welcomed Việt Nam's efforts in facilitating agricultural trade.

Cooperation in IUU fishing combat

The US recently provided $2.5 million to help Việt Nam combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Ambassador Knapper stressed that enforcing fishing laws is a priority for President Trump and urged closer cooperation.

Minister Duy touched upon the impact of legal reforms on the livelihoods of fishermen, calling for greater sharing of experience in policy making and law enforcement.

Việt Nam is seeking an extension to submit data for US Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) compliance, pushing the deadline from April 1 to July 1, 2025. Ambassador Knapper pledged to convey this request to US authorities. — VNA/VNS