A dragon fruit orchard with off-season fruit in Tiền Giang Province’s Chợ Gạo District. – VNA/VNS Photo Đức Tâm

TIỀN GIANG — Tiền Giang Province is intensifying efforts to expand agricultural exports by developing high-quality farming zones, attracting investment in deep processing and exploring new export markets to ensure improved incomes for farmers.

Lưu Văn Phi, director of its Department of Industry and Trade, said the province is working to fully harness its potential and strengths in exporting agricultural and aquatic products in which it holds a competitive advantage.

The aim is to actively seize new opportunities, expand markets, and ensure long-term export growth, he said.

With a favourable location and convenient access by both road and waterway, the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province enjoys significant advantages.

It has over 120,000ha under rice and produces around 750,000 tonnes annually.

It is prioritising the development of rice milling and food processing industries aimed at export markets. There are around 200 large-scale rice milling and processing plants with a combined capacity of three million tonnes a year.

Rice exports alone bring in about US$100 million a year.

Workers pack rice for both domestic consumption and export at Vinh Hiển Co., Ltd., in the Gia Thuận 1 Industrial Park in Tiền Giang Province’s Gò Công Đông District. – VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Sinh

Additionally, the province is actively developing its seafood processing industry, which has considerable potential, to create jobs and attract foreign investment.

It has 19 seafood export companies equipped with modern processing lines and closed production systems with a total annual capacity of nearly 160,000 tonnes, and they are focusing on value-added products and market expansion.

Tiền Giang, the country’s largest fruit producer, has also established major fruit-growing zones aimed at export markets.

These include 24,000ha of durian with an annual yield exceeding 400,000 tonnes, 8,600ha of dragon fruit producing 298,000 tonnes and 22,500ha of coconut with over 246,000 tonnes.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment is working closely with other relevant agencies and localities to assist businesses and co-operatives in establishing raw material zones and registering production codes for packaging facilities and export-oriented farming zones.

These are essential for meeting the standards required for official exports to China and other international markets.

The province is also prioritising export market development by promoting e-commerce, providing training for businesses and farmers in international standards and supporting them with financial aid and modern technology.

Efforts are being made to expand to new markets such as the Middle East and Africa to reduce reliance on a small number of destinations.

These initiatives open up new opportunities, encouraging farmers to invest in intensive farming and establish high-value agricultural and aquacultural production zones, Phi said.

Learning from past experience, the province introduced timely and effective management measures at the beginning of 2025 to promote exports and attract overseas investment, he said.

It is urging businesses to make full use of existing free trade agreements to increase exports and is accelerating the issuance of certificates of origin to support exporters, he said.

It is also strengthening supply-demand connectivity and trade promotion by organising fairs, exhibitions and promotional events to showcase Vietnamese agricultural products, attract international partners and broaden market access.

Special attention is being paid to key local specialities with export potential, such as Ngũ Hiệp durian, Hòa Lộc mango and Chợ Gạo dragon fruit.

It is focusing on drawing investment into deep-processing of agricultural products to enhance quality and boost export value.

Deep processing allows factories to better manage supply by extending product shelf life, Phi said.

This not only stabilises consumption during harvest seasons but also helps prevent the typical “bumper crop, falling prices” cycle, which often leads to losses for farmers, he said.

Thanks to these effective measures, the province’s exports have grown reasonably strongly this year.

Exports fetched $2.59 billion in the first five months of the year, a 4.14 per cent increase year-on-year.

The major items have been rice, seafood, fruits, and vegetables.

The export markets have expanded, supporting sustainable growth and improving incomes for local farmers.

In addition to China, rice and fruit products are now exported to the US, EU, Japan, and South Korea.

Tiền Giang aims to achieve total exports of $6.3 billion this year, 5 per cent more than in 2024. — VNS