Vietnam and the UK have agreed to translate commitments under their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into practical cooperation, particularly in agricultural, forestry and fisheries trade, nature conservation and climate change response.
The agreement was reached at a meeting on November 11 between Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Quoc Tri and Ms. Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Deputy Minister Tri said Vietnam has approximately 27 million hectares of agricultural production land, providing favourable conditions for developing a diverse commercial agricultural sector. Agriculture contributes around 12% of the country's gross domestic product, while agricultural exports exceeded $71 billion in 2025. Vietnam is keen to work with the UK to capitalise on these strengths.
Ms. Baroness Hayman highlighted the potential for closer cooperation, noting that bilateral agricultural trade reached $1 billion for the first time in 2025, supported by the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Vietnamese agricultural exports to the UK included approximately £250 million ($331.7 million) worth of seafood, more than £200 million in coffee and over £100 million in cashew nuts.
The first shipment of Vietnamese guava also arrived in the UK in 2026, opening further opportunities for Vietnamese fruit exporters.
Both sides discussed establishing technical working groups to address agricultural trade issues, identify priority import and export products, clarify quarantine and testing requirements, align quality standards and strengthen business connections between the two countries.
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