Agricultural land use market needs updated legal framework

Farming land transfer and renting activities, motivated by the transition of the agricultural economy towards larger scale modernisation, have become busy recently, initiating the development of the agricultural land use market in Vietnam. However, the Land Law 2013 has yet to catch up with the trend, leading to many difficulties in the market.
Agricultural land use market needs updated legal framework ảnh 1Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Farming land transfer and renting activities, motivated by thetransition of the agricultural economy towards larger scale modernisation, havebecome busy recently, initiating the development of the agricultural land usemarket in Vietnam. However, the Land Law 2013 has yet to catch up with thetrend, leading to many difficulties in the market.

A 2016 report released by the Central Steering Committee for Agricultural, Rural, and FisheryCensus showed that of the total farming land area of 27.3 million hectares,24.4 million hectares (or about 90 percent) were allocated to users. The resthas been managed by the People’s Committees of communes.

Among thefarming land users, 98.7 percent are households and domestic economicorganisations. Each household on average owned 2.5 plots with a combined averagearea of 1,800sq.m.

According to DrLe Thanh Y from the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), the legalframework is ultimately the deciding factor that turns land into goods. Only landplots meeting all legal conditions can take part in market activities. Heunderlined that land use certification is one of the foundations to ensuringthe legality when using farming land as goods.

Currently, 90percent of agricultural land has been allocated to specific owners, includingfarmers and agro-forestry-fisheries companies who are the secondary supplysources for the market.

However, duringthe modernisation process, the growth of industry and service sectors led to adecline in the number of labourers in the agricultural sector, and as such, adrop in the faming land demand.

The redundant areaof farming land by households has increased and changed into non-farming land,creating major supply sources for the market. The equitisation and dissolution ofagro-forestry-fisheries companies have also generated about 452,000 hectares ofland for the market.

Moreover, themarket demand of agricultural land has increased, mostly from big farmerhouseholds and businesses investing in the agricultural sector. The number ofsuch firms increased by 49 percent to 3,846 in 2016, from only 2,569 in 2011.

A survey by theCIEM covering 3,700 households in 12 provinces saw that the land trading activitieswere busier than land renting activities. The ratio of households conductingland transfer activities was 16.6 percent, while the rate of renting was only7.1 percent. The engagement of big firms in the agriculture sector has changed productionpractices, with the formation of giant farms with average areas of 250 hectares.

The Land Law2013 has hindered the accumulation of farming land – as a non-agriculturaleconomic organisation cannot receive the authority to use farming land – togetherwith land use limitations.

Therefore, inorder to boost the efficiency of land use and avoid the waste of land resources,many experts held that it is necessary to build a more suitable policyframework, aiming to deal with existing obstacles facing the expansion of theagricultural land market.

Experts alsopointed to six specific areas inland use policy that needs adjusting, namely land use planning; land renting; therights of land users; limits and land renting duration; infrastructure servingthe transactions of land use rights; and land reclaiming.-VNA
VNA

See more

Investment in artificial intelligence surges eightfold compared to 2023 (Photo: VNA)

Investment in AI in Vietnam increases eightfold

Vietnam is entering a new phase of growth, where innovation, science, and technology are at the forefront of shaping its future. From being an emerging market, Vietnam has now risen to become a strategic destination for technology investment in Southeast Asia, driven by the aspirations of the entrepreneurial community and strategic guidance from the government

The talks between Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Nimul on April 28 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Cambodia seek ways to bolster economic, trade ties

Vietnam and Cambodia inked an agreement on promoting bilateral trade for the 2025–2026 period, which provides preferential tariffs for many competitive goods from each side – much more favourable than those under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA).

President of Vietnam Luong Cuong (10th from left), Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith (ninth from left), and officials of the two countries at the inauguration ceremony of Wharf No. 3 of Lao - Viet International Port on April 28 (Photo: VNA)

New wharf at Lao - Viet Int’l Port inaugurated

The launch of Wharf No. 3 of Lao - Viet International Port expected to help ensure infrastructure for socio-economic development in both Vietnam and Laos, meeting the increasing demand for goods transportation.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi (centre), who is concurrently in charge of Peru pays a courtesy visit to Peru's Deputy Foreign Minister Felix Denegri Boza. (Photo published by VNA)

Vietnam, Peru step up economic and trade cooperation

Peru is currently Vietnam’s sixth-largest trading partner in Latin America. However, the trade value, standing at 518 million USD, remains modest compared to the potential and real demand between the two complementary economies.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh speaks at the meeting with representatives from ministries, agencies, international institutions, banks, investment funds and investors in Hanoi on April 28. (Photo: VNA)

Deputy PM vows optimal conditions for firms to expand investment in int’l financial centres

Speaking at a meeting with representatives from ministries, agencies, international institutions, banks, investment funds and investors in Hanoi, Binh said that the Government of Vietnam is committed to always accompanying businesses, creating the most favourable conditions for enterprises to expand their investment in international financial centres in Vietnam as well as invest in other ecosystems that they are interested in.

Tunisia’s demand for imported goods remains high, especially for essential commodities such as raw coffee, rice, and sugar. Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Tunisia boost economic and trade cooperation

In 2024, trade between Vietnam and Tunisia reached 267 million USD, almost tripling the figure recorded in 2023. Vietnam’s main exports to Tunisia included footwear, raw coffee, pepper, cashew nuts, seafood, and machinery, while Vietnam imported seafood, dates, chemicals, and animal feed materials from Tunisia.

Local carmaker Kim Long Motor company and Korean Daon Mobility ink an agreement on exporting the local brand bus into the Korean market. Photo courtesy of Kim Long Motor (

Local carmaker to export buses to RoK

It’s expected that the first batch of 50 electric EV Buses will be delivered to the Republic of Korea (RoK) for operation in the second quarter this year.

Tourists from Tashkent to Da Nang (Photo: VNA)

Da Nang launches direct air route to Uzbekistan

Nguyen Thi Phuong, President of Prestige DMC Vietnam, noted that the charter service from Tashkent to Da Nang is being operated through a partnership between Prestige DMC Vietnam, Red Island Company, Centrium-Air Airways, and Prestige Travel Uzbekistan.

ASEAN, China promote cross-border payments

ASEAN, China promote cross-border payments

In the first quarter of 2025, the value of RMB transactions between China and Malaysia reached 102 billion RMB (4 billion USD), up 27% year-on-year, while transactions with Cambodia reached 5 billion RMB (686 million USD), an increase of 45% compared to the same period in 2024.

Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh (left) and Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Ren Hongbin. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, China eye deepening trade promotion cooperation

The Vietnamese Embassy is ready to act as a bridge in facilitating cooperation between the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and Vietnamese partners, as well as in connecting enterprises from both countries, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.