At a seminar held in Ho Chi Minh City on April 10, 2026, there was shared recognition that obtaining a 'green passport' — environmental standards — is essential for Vietnam's food and beverage (F&B) companies to maintain access to global markets. For Vietnam, whose agricultural export value topped US$6.2 billion in 2024, responding to this 'invisible wall' has become a core theme of export competitiveness.
Overview of the seminar: who appealed for what
The event was co-hosted by the Investment and Trade Promotion Center of Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC) and the Global Intellectual Business Association (GIBA). Ho Thi Quyen, Deputy Director of ITPC, introduced the moves of major EU and US retailers that build environmental standards into supplier selection, and stressed the need for Vietnamese companies to shift from 'price competition' to 'value competition.'
Hoang Van Viet, GIBA Chairman and a lecturer at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, pointed out that 'more than 70% of consumers worldwide are willing to pay a premium for eco-friendly products.' AllMadeViet CEO Rainey Waishappel gave a concrete explanation of the supply-chain transparency and social-responsibility compliance that international buyers demand.
Reading the importance of 'environmental standards' by the numbers
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Vietnam's agricultural export value (2020) | US$41 billion |
| Vietnam's agricultural export value (2024) | over US$62 billion |
| Global healthy-food market size (projected for 2026) | over US$860 billion (growing more than 10% a year) |
| Share of consumers who pay a premium for eco-friendly products | over 70% |
Three pressures: what is cornering companies
The issues laid out at the seminar have a three-layer structure.
1. Changing consumers
Consumers who prioritize health, nutrition, safety and traceability are increasing. It has become a market where mere 'cheapness' no longer works. The EU's Digital Product Passport (DPP) regulation is expected to become mandatory in stages from 2027 onward, and tighter regulation in export destinations is also anticipated.
2. Changing selection criteria of distributors
Major supermarkets and retail chains in Europe and the US have come to require certificates of environmental standards as a condition of supplier registration. An era is arriving in which products without certification do not make it onto the shelves.
3. Mandatory regulation
Traceability, labeling and emissions regulations are being strengthened as legal obligations in each market. The EU's CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) could expand to agricultural products, carrying a risk of tariff disadvantage if response is delayed.
Implications for agricultural buyers and trading houses
When Japanese agricultural buyers and trading houses source and sell Vietnamese agricultural products, checking whether a supplier holds a 'green passport' becomes the basis of risk management. We recommend adding the following four points to the criteria for evaluating suppliers.
- Quality-assurance systems (HACCP, ISO 22000, Global G.A.P., etc.): Confirm the status of certification and the year of renewal
- Traceability: Whether the entire process — origin → harvest → processing → transport — is documented and digitized
- Environmental management: Records of pesticide and chemical-fertilizer use, and the frequency and results of residue testing
- Social responsibility (CSR): Working conditions, wage levels, and the status of handling foreign technical intern trainees
Buyers handling EU-bound products in particular are strongly advised to confirm their suppliers' DPP-compliance roadmaps during 2026.
Where Vietnamese companies stand and their challenges
Vietnam's agricultural exports are growing rapidly in volume terms, but the share of value-added processed goods is still low. The shift to 'value-type partnerships' presented at this seminar is also an opportunity for buyers on the Japanese side. Working together to build out environmental standards and jointly developing branded rice, organic vegetables, certified coffee and the like for European and US markets leads to a competitive advantage over the medium to long term.
As cases that are already in motion, the expansion of Vietnamese cashew nut exports to China and and green-lane-certified durian exports are drawing attention as good examples where meeting environmental and quality standards made new market development possible.
Future action: where to start
- Within 2026: Take stock of the Global G.A.P. / FSSC 22000 certification status of key suppliers
- 2026-2027: Begin discussions on building a traceability system for EU DPP compliance
- From 2027 onward: Introduce carbon-footprint measurement in preparation for CBAM expansion
Summary
Vietnam's agricultural exports topped US$6.2 billion in 2024. However, if the response to environmental and quality certification is delayed, there is a risk that market access in the EU and US markets will be physically closed off. The 'green passport' is now the entry ticket to the export business. Japanese trading houses and buyers are at the ideal moment to scrutinize their suppliers' certification systems and jointly advance the development of standards.
Sources
Vietnam News (April 10, 2026): “Green passport” seen as key to global market access for Việt Nam’s F&B firms
