Tay Ninh province in southern Vietnam is strengthening its role as a hub connecting the Southeast and Mekong Delta regions to Muslim markets in the Middle East and Africa. The province is developing its Halal agricultural supply chain to expand access for Vietnamese produce, including fruits and processed food products.
The Middle East and Africa, home to more than 1.8 billion people, present a growing demand for Halal-certified agricultural goods. According to Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, trade between Vietnam and these regions doubled between 2016 and 2024, reaching about US$34 billion. While agricultural, aquatic, and processed food exports have performed well, trade volumes remain below potential.
Tay Ninh currently has 57 Halal-certified enterprises and 48 firms trading through the United Arab Emirates. Many local products meet Islamic market standards. Thanh Thanh Cong – Bien Hoa JSC (TTC AgriS) operates a circular agricultural system with nearly 91,000 hectares of raw material areas across Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Australia, and collaborates on another 200,000 hectares in Indonesia. TTC AgriS produces nearly 200 Halal-certified products, including banana and pineapple, across 10 factories certified under international standards such as ISO, HACCP, BRC, and Kosher. The company is seeking to build a Halal value chain through agreements with UAE partners and international Halal organisations.
The Mekong Delta remains Vietnam's core agricultural region, producing key crops such as rice and fruit. In Can Tho, 93,000 hectares of aquaculture yield 640,000 tons annually, while rice output exceeds 4 million tons and fruit cultivation spans 100,000 hectares. "Can Tho has strong potential to become a leading Halal export hub for the Middle East and Africa," said La Trong Ky, Vice Director of Can Tho's Department of Agriculture and Environment, noting that more support is needed to meet certification costs and improve traceability.
According to Chau Thi Le, Deputy Director of Tay Ninh's Department of Industry and Trade, the province traded with 130 countries and territories in 2024, reaching a total import-export value of US$28 billion and a trade surplus of US$3.11 billion. However, trade with Middle Eastern and African countries remains limited. Tay Ninh aims to become a strategic connector between the Southeast, Mekong Delta, and Cambodia while strengthening its position as an agricultural logistics hub supporting Vietnam's export strategy through 2030.
Source: Vietnam+
