Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has strong demand for soybeans, corn, cotton, and iron ore to support feed production, textiles, and metallurgy, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi during a recent meeting with Mauricio Buffon, President of the Brazilian Association of Soybean Producers (Aprosoja), in Brasilia.
The meeting aimed to strengthen agricultural, industrial, and trade cooperation between the two countries.
The diplomat highlighted Brazil’s role in ensuring stable and strategic agricultural supplies for Vietnam.
Noting the high complementarity of the two economies, he said Vietnam is a dynamic production and processing hub in Asia with strengths in electronics, textiles, footwear, aquatic products, and processed agricultural products, connecting Brazil and other South American countries with the ASEAN market of nearly 700 million people, the Indo-Pacific region, and southern China.
Brazil, meanwhile, is a global agricultural powerhouse, leading the export of soybeans, corn, beef, poultry, cotton, and iron ore, offering Vietnam opportunities to expand economic, trade, and investment ties with and access MERCOSUR and other Latin American markets.
The ambassador expressed Vietnam’s desire to increase the export of aquatic products, cashews, wood items, processed farm produce, apparel, mobile phones, computers, and electronic components to Brazil.
He also stressed the importance of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and MERCOSUR and called on Brazil, as the 2025 rotating chair, along with its industrial and agricultural associations, to support the process to establish a comprehensive legal framework for trade, investment, and sustainable development cooperation.
Mauricio Buffon said Brazil views Vietnam as a strategic partner in Southeast Asia and believes that with the strong political-diplomatic foundation and economic potential, the two countries will continue to expand cooperation in agriculture, processing, and agri-trade, helping promote a practical, balanced, and sustainable Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
He noted that Aprosoja serves as a bridge between producers, exporters, and international markets, with Vietnam considered a top potential partner in Asia.
Currently, Brazil is Vietnam’s largest soybean supplier, accounting for 57.2% of total imports. In the first eight months of this year, Vietnam imported 1.81 million tonnes of soybeans, with Brazil supplying over 57%./.
