Record-Size U.S. Agricultural Trade Delegation Visits Ho Chi Minh City

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden said the U.S. agricultural trade promotion delegation visiting Ho Chi Minh City from November 9 to 12 is the largest of its kind the U.S. Department of Agriculture has ever sent abroad. The delegation includes representatives of U.S. agencies, associations and more than 30 agricultural businesses, as well as officials responsible for agriculture and trade in several U.S. states.

On the evening of November 9, the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City held an event celebrating the Vietnam–U.S. agricultural partnership. Nguyễn Mạnh Cường, vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, said at the event that agricultural cooperation between the two countries had made progress. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first agricultural trade promotion delegations visited Vietnam in 2011. This delegation is led by Stephen Vaden.

The vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee speaks with the U.S. deputy secretary of agriculture at the event.（VietVance）

Statistics show that U.S. exports of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products to Vietnam rose 45% in 2025 to $5.6 billion, placing Vietnam among the 10 largest U.S. export markets for these products. The United States is Vietnam’s second-largest export market for agricultural, forestry and aquatic products. Nguyễn Mạnh Cường said agricultural trade between the two countries is complementary: U.S. cotton, soybeans and corn supply raw materials for Vietnam’s textile, livestock and processing industries, while Vietnamese coffee, cashews, fruit and aquatic products reach the U.S. consumer market.

Nguyễn Mạnh Cường said Ho Chi Minh City hopes to serve as a link promoting agricultural trade and investment between the two countries. He noted that the city has a population of more than 14 million and has ports, logistics facilities, distribution networks and a consumer market that could support its role as a hub for receiving, processing and distributing agricultural products and food in southern Vietnam. Stephen Vaden said the agricultural partnership also creates development opportunities for businesses and consumers in both countries.

Source: VietVance