On September 6, the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade chaired a conference on trade promotion and import-export development in the Mekong Delta region in Can Tho City. The meeting focused on six major issues in the development and cooperation of trade promotion and import-export activities in the region, involving development directions for several advantageous industries.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang announced the region’s economic data for the first half of this year. The Mekong Delta’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) grew by approximately 6.12%, with Tra Vinh, Hau Giang, and Ca Mau provinces performing exceptionally well, achieving growth rates of 10.27%, 8.04%, and 6.96% respectively. In the first half of the year, the region’s import-export value of goods reached $19.5 billion, achieving a trade surplus of $6.6 billion. The export value of goods was $13.1 billion, a year-on-year increase of 12.8%, with Long An, Tien Giang, and Dong Thap provinces each exceeding $1 billion in exports. Imports amounted to $6.48 billion, a year-on-year increase of 15.6%.

The conference discussed several measures to promote the region’s import and export development. Tran Quoc Toan, Deputy Director of the Import-Export Department, emphasized that provinces and cities in the region, especially the Regional Coordination Committee, should focus on investing in infrastructure, particularly in developing transportation networks, while also conducting research on technological solutions to promote sustainable production and exports.

Additionally, the conference proposed the following suggestions:

• Continue to improve the business environment and enhance competitiveness
• Strengthen efforts to attract investment
• Enhance trade promotion work on digital platforms
• Help businesses and local authorities effectively access information on ports, and import-export of goods
• Develop port-related services such as logistics, customs brokerage, legal consulting, and inspection and quarantine

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s statistics, the Mekong Delta region holds a dominant position in several important industries in Vietnam. The region contributes 31% of the country’s total agricultural output, including about 50% of rice production, 95% of rice exports, 65% of aquaculture and fishing production, 60% of fish exports, and about 70% of various fruit production. In 2024, the country’s rice exports exceeded 8 million tons, of which the Mekong Delta region contributed 7.6 million tons.

Despite its many advantages, the Mekong Delta region has not fully realized its potential and faces challenges such as climate change, water resource depletion, and seawater intrusion. The conference emphasized that correctly assessing the region’s potential and challenges, and formulating appropriate development measures are crucial for achieving the goal of making the Mekong Delta a well-developed region in the country.

Key points summary:

• The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade held a conference to discuss trade promotion and import-export development in the Mekong Delta region.
• The region’s GRDP grew by 6.12% in the first half of the year, with total import-export value reaching $19.5 billion and a trade surplus of $6.6 billion.
• The conference proposed several measures to promote the region’s import and export development, including infrastructure investment and improving the business environment.
• The Mekong Delta plays a crucial role in Vietnam’s agriculture and aquatic product exports.
• The region faces uneven development and environmental challenges, requiring appropriate measures to fully realize its potential.

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