Viet Nam isn’t just a participant in world agriculture markets, the country is a global price setter. With ample acreage for rice in the Mekong and Red River delta, Viet Nam is consistently one of the world’s top exporters of the white gold.

But rice is only one small portion of Viet Nam’s agriculture portfolio. Thanks to a recent upswing in prices, and the continued investment of small farmers, coffee became the number one export crop in 2013.Coming from near zero production in the 90’s, Viet Nam farmers adapted, and built a booming industry in the country’s remote central highlands region.

Coffee is not a one and done success story either. Black pepper, cashews, rubber, and (new comer) fresh fruit, are all posting massive export numbers.

On the forestry side, Viet Nam has become the world’s largest export of particle grade wood, coming from nowhere at the turn of the century.

However, among all Viet Nam’s farming success, there is a major problem in the agriculture and forestry sectors—processing. Roasting coffee beans, canning fruit, and pressing wood particles into board are just some of the examples where this sector has issues.

So, while household farmers are responding to world prices and market opportunities, foreign investors have yet to capitalize on Viet Nam’s agriculture and forestry sectors. This situation is set to change.

Viet Nam is on the cusp of a Third Wave of trade deals that will intensify processing in agriculture and forestry over the next decade.The next round in global integration after obtaining basic access to overseas markets and then joining the WTO. The Third Wave are two key deals: A Free Trade Agreement with the European Union and Viet Nam’s membership in the exclusive twelve nation Trans-Pacific Partnership—the lowest income country in the negotiations.

Viet Nam's government is building off what works, knowing that to be competitive in the coming century, the country must find new means to attract investment, and build long-lasting partnerships with foreign investors. The National Assembly ratified a new Investment Law in 2014, and with these new trade pacts will create the highest quality institutions to support foreign investors.

The Third Wave of trade deals supports higher localization and values added in member countries and provide deeper market access. With Viet Nam’s continued growth and policy support of the agriculture and forestry sector, there are sizable opportunities for foreign investment in these sectors[...]

Volume 1 Brochure on Agriculture 221214.pdf