State needs to help cut logistics cost for farm produce

The State should develop solutions to reduce high logistics costs in trading agricultural products to improve the competitiveness of Vietnamese farm produce on the market, according to experts.
State needs to help cut logistics cost for farm produce ảnh 1The transportation cost has accounted for 61 percent of total logistics cost for fruit and vegetable products. (Photo: kinhtedothi.vn)
Hanoi (VNA) - The State should develop solutions to reduce highlogistics costs in trading agricultural products to improve the competitivenessof Vietnamese farm produce on the market, according to experts.

The logistics costs have accounted for 12.2 percent of seafood product value,19.8 percent of rice product value and 29.5 percent of fruit and vegetablevalue, Nguyen Duy Minh, vice chairman and general secretary of the VietnamLogistics Business Association (VLA), said.

Especially, Minh said the transportation cost has accounted for 61 percent oftotal logistics cost for fruit and vegetable products, followed by handlingcosts with nearly 20 percent of the logistics costs.

At an online conference on the logistics costs in the value chain of Vietnameseagricultural products held recently in Hanoi, the experts said that the factorsbehind the high logistics cost included high transportation cost, high fees andcharges of foreign shipping companies and restrictions on ports andinfrastructure.

Besides that, new rates of infrastructure fees set by localities and theimplementation of special inspection or quarantine quality inspection were alsoreasons for the high logistics costs, they said.

Le Van Quang, Chairman of the Minh Phu Group Joint Stock Company, said that thetransportation cost of a shrimp container was only 41 million VND from Vietnamto the US and 16 million VND from Vietnam to Japan but this cost was 80 millionVND from HCM City to Hanoi.

Similarly, the transportation cost for a shrimp container from HCM City to aborder gate with China in the northern region was 100 million VND, while ashrimp container shipped from Ecuador to China was just half, even though thedistance between Ecuador and China is far greater than from Vietnam.

Quang said that the cause of this was too many toll stations on land.Therefore, the State needs to have solutions to cut domestic transportationcosts.

Tran Thanh Hai, Deputy Director of the Import and Export Department under theMinistry of Industry and Trade, said that value of agricultural products is lowwhile transportation costs are high. Besides that, agricultural products needcold storage and professional transport vehicles. These two factors have alsoput great pressure on logistics activities for agricultural products.

He said the high logistics cost has caused weak transportation infrastructureand uneven distribution of ports. The central region has low demand fortransporting goods but has many ports while the Mekong Delta region has highdemand for goods transport but lacks ports.

In addition, there are many problems in the connection between transport vehiclesand logistics centres and between seaports.

To solve those problems, Hai said an important solution is investment indeveloping large agricultural logistics centres to ensure the quality of farmproduce in storage.

Besides that, the State needs to put more investment in improving transportinfrastructure on waterways, including ports, because transportation is cheap,he said.

Minh said the State should plan regional logistics centres to create favourableconditions for production and trading of farming products. Technology also hasan important role in traceability, monitoring the quality of goods andconnecting transport companies online.

Director of the Department of Agricultural Product Processing and MarketDevelopment Nguyen Quoc Toan said the planning of developing logistics centresaccording to regions would promote linkages between localities./.
VNA

See more

Workers process agricultural products for export. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam's small business growth soars to a four-year high

The survey findings released in Ho Chi Minh City on March 21 show that the growth momentum is expected to accelerate in 2025, with 92% of small businesses expecting to grow, the highest projection among 11 markets surveyed.

At the meeting between French Minister of Transport Philippe Tabarot and Vietnamese Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh in Hanoi on March 21. (Photo: VNA)

French businesses show strong interest in Vietnam’s high-speed railway project: Minister

Minh also mentioned Vietnam’s ongoing construction of Long Thanh International Airport, which will have a total capacity of 100 million passengers per year upon completion. The airport is expected to become Vietnam’s largest and serve as an international gateway, offering new opportunities for global aviation businesses, including those from France, to expand their connections in Vietnam and ASEAN, he said.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the Hon La International Port on March 21 (Photo: VNA)

Quang Binh breaks ground on 90-million-USD international port

The port features comprehensive planning with modern warehouses, logistics areas, and technical facilities. Its strategic location in the sheltered Hon La bay, protected by Hon Co and Hon La islands, provides ideal natural depth for large vessels.

SMEs face many difficulties in accessing capital. (Photo: baokiemtoan.vn)

SMEs need support policies: insiders

With nearly one million businesses and around five million business households, the private sector contributes approximately 51% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and over 30% to the State budget. However, most small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face significant barriers in scaling up and enhancing their competitiveness.

Quang Ninh plans to develop four new industrial parks (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh to develop four new industrial parks

To attract investment for infrastructure development in these zones, the Quang Ninh provincial People's Committee is focusing on reviewing available land and making a list of projects to attract investors for technical infrastructure construction.

A Vietjet executive performs the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Ho Chi Minh City - Bengaluru route launch. (Photo: baodautu.vn)

Vietnam’s leading airlines to open new routes to India

Vietnam's national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines plans to launch direct flights from Hanoi to Bengaluru and Hyderabad starting in May, while private carrier Vietjet has already commenced services connecting Ho Chi Minh City to these two major Indian hubs on March 18.

Inside a steel factory in northern Vietnam. Despite signs of recovery, the industry remains below 2021 production levels (Photo: VNA)

Steel sector faces challenges

Vietnam’s steel sector is grappling with mounting challenges, including a rising volume of Chinese steel exports, domestic oversupply and global trade barriers, experts warn.