Hanoi (VNA) – The third National Cooperative Forum took place in Hanoi on April 10, focusing on linkages and complementarities between cooperatives and private enterprises, particularly in high-tech agriculture, processing, exports and agricultural logistics.
Held under the theme “Connecting the cooperative economy with the private economic ecosystem,” the event brought together about 300 delegates, including Government officials, representatives of ministries, localities, international organisations, experts, businesses and cooperatives nationwide.
The forum was organised to mark Vietnam Cooperative Day (April 11), 80 years since President Ho Chi Minh sent a letter calling on farmers and landowners to join agricultural cooperatives, and the 2026 Month of Action for Cooperatives.
In her remarks, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA) Cao Xuan Thu Van said the event comes in the context of the Politburo’s Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW, which identifies the private sector as a key driver of the economy. She stressed that the issue is no longer the role of cooperatives, but how they position themselves and connect with the private sector for mutual development.
As of March, Vietnam had more than 35,000 cooperatives with nearly 7 million members. Agricultural cooperatives accounted for 66.8%, continuing to play a key role in rural development, while the remainder operated in areas such as industry, handicrafts, trade, transport and environment.
About 78% of cooperatives are operating effectively, with nearly 4,700 participating in value chains and around 2,600 applying high technology, reflecting a shift towards more dynamic and market-oriented operations.
The VCA chairwoman noted that closer cooperation between cooperatives and private enterprises is essential, as they offer complementary strengths. Cooperatives provide organised production and stable raw material areas, while enterprises contribute capital, technology, management expertise and market access.
“When effectively connected, these forces can form new value chains and cooperation models, creating sustainable opportunities for millions of people,” Van said.
Many successful models have already emerged, including partnerships between agricultural cooperatives and processing firms to enhance product value and expand exports, as well as the use of digital platforms and e-commerce to access wider markets.
Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Ngoc Canh said both the cooperative and private sectors are important pillars of the economy, but noted that cooperatives still face difficulties in accessing credit due to limited scale, capacity constraints and insufficient transparency.
He said the banking sector will continue improving credit policies, simplifying procedures and promoting preferential loan packages for cooperative-enterprise partnerships.
Meanwhile, Do Manh Khoi from the Ministry of Finance stressed the need to further finetune the legal framework, strengthen capacity of cooperatives, and enhance the coordinating role of enterprises, alongside more synchronised support from authorities and relevant organisations.
With an increasingly transparent and open institutional framework, cooperative-enterprise linkages will not only enhance production efficiency and value chains but also contribute to sustainable development, improved livelihoods and a more resilient national economy./.
VNA
