Crops & Agricultural Products

Lao Cai province certified 58 products as OCOP in its first batch of 2026. Of these, 14 products, including instant menma (seasoned bamboo shoots), were raised to four stars, with ISO 22000 as a condition. We read the implications for Japan's sourcing of menma and wild vegetables.

Feed accounts for about 60% of shrimp-farming costs. The Vietnamese-owned GrowMax froze price increases on all feed from June 2026. We interpret the aim of its contrarian stance while rivals move to raise prices, and the implications for Japanese shrimp sourcing.

Juvenile ca linh, a small flood-season fish, arrived for the first time at the An Giang border market. Processed products go for 250,000 dong (about 1,500 yen) per kg. We explain the ecology of this migratory fish descending from Tonle Sap, the food culture of the mua nuoc noi, and the seasonality of wild seafood that Japanese buyers should read.

Quang Ngai province, aiming to have the EU's yellow card lifted, is tightening up the licensing, VMS, and catch records of 4,863 fishing vessels. We unpack the local moves that caught 100 vessels with interrupted signals, and the traceability demands that reach Japanese buyers.

Chinese importers have entered inventory adjustment, pushing down wholesale prices around Ecuadorian produce. We interpret, with verified figures, how the cycle in China, the largest market, ripples through to Vietnam's shrimp export prices and Japan's sourcing costs.

From July 24, the United States imposed an additional 12.5% on Vietnamese seafood. The 2.5-point gap with Ecuadorian players is eroding the profitability of Vietnamese shrimp in the US market. We unpack, from a Japanese sourcing perspective, the flat US$890 million in first-half exports to the United States, the 48% last-minute surge in June, the shift to processing, and the realignment of supply to Japan.

On July 31, 2026, US retail and seafood groups formed the "American Shrimp Alliance" to oppose import-shrimp restrictions. We unpack, from a practical standpoint, the tailwind for Vietnamese shrimp, whose exports to the United States fell 15%, and the impact on Japanese buyers who purchase from the same supply pool.

98.5% of Vietnamese lobster exports go to China. The first half of 2026 was US$584.6 million, up 44%, but we read the danger of over-concentration shown by the 2023 spiny-lobster restrictions, and the room for diversification into the Japanese market.

Vinh Long province, Vietnam, has unveiled a plan for an agricultural seed-and-seedling bank. By preserving local heirloom varieties such as more than 10,000 coconut mother trees and mangosteen, it aims for self-sufficiency in high-quality seedlings. We unpack the implications for Japanese sourcing and seed policy.

Da Nang City has begun selling 477 OCOP-certified products on Grab's GrabMart and GrabFood. The national treasure Ngoc Linh ginseng has also joined, making the ride-hailing app a new sales channel for regional specialties. We compare it with Japan's roadside stations and farm-direct e-commerce and interpret it from a produce buyer's perspective.