Vietnam Rice Cooperation – Philippines: Journey Connecting from Ninh Binh Fields to Davao Capital
Ninh Binh – Within the framework of a working visit to Vietnam to tighten agricultural partnerships, day 14 month 5 year 2026, The Philippine high-level delegation led by Mr. Dony had an important working session at Cuong Tan Company Limited. This is one of the leading enterprises in Vietnam in the field of hybrid rice production and business, currently plays the role of economic nucleus in Truc Hung industrial park, belongs to the new Ninh Binh province (merged from Nam Dinh province, Old Ha Nam and Ninh Binh).
Panorama of the meeting between the Philippine delegation and Cuong Tan Company Limited
The meeting not only stopped at visiting the infrastructure but also opened a new chapter in rice cooperation between the two countries., Focus on providing high quality seeds, share farming experiences and create sustainable agricultural value chains.
Cuong Tan: 30 years affirming its position as "Vietnamese Golden Seed"
Welcoming the delegation at headquarters, Mr. Doan Van Sau – Director of Cuong Tan Company Limited – with Mr. Lam Van Chieu – Deputy Director of the company – expressed his honor to welcome friends from the Philippines. In a sincere atmosphere, Mr. Doan Van Sau reviewed the company's journey of nearly three decades of development.
Mr. Doan Van Sau – Director and Mr. Lam Van Chieu – Deputy Director of Cuong Tan Co., Ltd. received the Philippine delegation
Established and started focusing on hybrid rice since year 1997 in the old land of Nam Dinh, Cuong Tan has created historical turning points for Vietnam's agricultural industry. The biggest impression is the acquisition of copyright of the two-line hybrid rice variety TH3-3 from the Vietnam Academy of Agriculture in 2019. 2008 with value up to more 10 billions dong – a record number at the time. Since then, Cuong Tan continuously invests in research, Technology transfer and construction of large-scale seed production areas across the country, from Nghe An, Gia Lai to Dak Lak.
The current, The company's factory in Ninh Binh achieves impressive productivity with an annual output of more than 2.000 tons of rice seeds and more 3.000 tons of high quality commercial rice. With a food safety management system meeting ISO standards 22000:2018, Cuong Tan's products have conquered the most demanding markets in the world.
Mr. Doan Van Sau led the group to visit the factory producing high quality rice seeds and rice
Reaching international level: From Cuba, The United States comes to the "heart" of Europe
During the working session, The Philippine delegation was particularly impressed with Cuong Tan's export capacity. Not only does it stop at ensuring domestic food security, The company has brought Vietnam's "seeds of happiness" to the world.
- Imprint in Cuba: Cuong Tan's CT16 hybrid rice variety has caused a "fever" in this island nation when it reached its productivity 7 – 8 tons / ha, twice as high as traditional local rice varieties. This is the clearest proof of the adaptability of Vietnamese rice varieties to different soil conditions, opens up great cooperation opportunities for countries with similar conditions like the Philippines.
- Conquer the US market: Cuong Tan is one of the few Vietnamese businesses that successfully exported seeds to the US, meets the country's strict quality and quarantine standards.
- Vietnamese green rice flavor in Europe: High quality rice lines, especially Huong Com rice, is present in major supermarkets in Germany, China is always the biggest market, France. Thanks to effectively taking advantage of the EVFTA Agreement, Cuong Tan rice has affirmed its leading position in terms of deliciousness, flexible and food safe in the EU market.
Link model 5 sao: Sustainable livelihood for farmers
At the meeting, Mr. Doan Van Sau shared about the company's core business philosophy: “If farmers are rich, businesses will be strong”. Cuong Tan operates under a closed offtake model, from seed supply, organic fertilizers to guide clean production processes for farmers.
The unique feature of this model is the form of contracted harvesting and buying back the excess rice at market price, Helps farmers feel secure about output, and have more motivation to take care of rice to achieve the highest yield. It is this closely linked model that ensures consistent rice quality, meeting strict export standards while directly improving the lives of thousands of farming households in Ninh Binh and branches nationwide.
Potential for cooperation in Vietnam – Philippines: Towards 2026 and beyond
Mr. Dony, Philippine delegation leader, expressed admiration for Cuong Tan's operating model. He emphasized that the Philippines is currently Vietnam's largest rice import partner, with import plans 3,6 million tons of rice per year 2026. However, The goal of this delegation is not only to trade goods but also to find reliable partners to transfer rice seed technology and experience in agricultural mechanization..
TS. Tran Dang Khoa, Deputy head of the delegation and interpreter, On behalf of the delegation, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the company's leaders: “We see Cuong Tan not only as a rice producer but as an agricultural knowledge center. Comprehensive cooperation between the two sides will help the Philippines improve food independence through high-yield hybrid rice varieties."
The two sides discussed in depth the possibility of importing rice varieties such as CT16 and Huong Com to the Philippines, At the same time, organize expert exchange programs to learn from each other's rice farming experiences. Mr. Dony shared, He felt the sincerity from Mr. Sau and considered this a relationship between "good friends" rather than pure business partners..
Mr. Dony felt the sincerity from Mr. Sau's side and considered this a relationship between "good friends" rather than pure business partners.
Invitation to Davao and a meal imbued with friendship
At the end of the working session, An emotional event took place when Mr. Dony warmly extended an invitation to the Board of Directors of Cuong Tan Co., Ltd. to visit the Philippines in September. 6 next, on the occasion of celebrating the establishment of the state of Davao – The land is known as the "Coconut Capital" but also has huge agricultural potential of the Philippines, especially the rice industry. Mr. Dony affirmed that the Philippines will cover all accommodation costs and looks forward to welcoming Vietnamese friends in his homeland..
To respond to that feeling, Mr. Doan Van Sau and Mr. Lam Van Chieu invited the delegation to an intimate meal at the company. Special thing, The main dish of the meal is Huong Com rice – Specialty rice produced by Cuong Tan and being exported to the EU. The scent of pandan leaves blends with the scent of young rice flakes emanating from a bowl of white rice, The fragrant aroma has made members of the Philippine delegation endlessly praise it.
Before breaking up, Company leaders gave the delegation gifts imbued with cultural and brand identity: Set of professional brand identification brochures, Large bucket hats are associated with the image of hardworking Vietnamese farmers in the sun and wind, and especially bags of special Huong Com rice.. Mr. Doan Van Sau happily accepted the invitation and promised to visit Davao next month to realize cooperation commitments..
Conclude
The visit of the Philippine delegation to Cuong Tan Co., Ltd. on 14/5/2026 closed with smiles and firm handshakes. Go beyond the numbers of output and turnover, This is a testament to the power of trust and the spirit of cooperation and development. Cuong Tan rice seeds from Ninh Binh fields, carrying the enthusiasm of Vietnamese farmers, is ready to sprout and spread its fragrance in the Philippines, contributing to building a sustainable and prosperous Southeast Asian agricultural community.
The moment of farewell was full of affection
Some other pictures from the business trip:
Perform: Thanh Vinh – Deputy Head of Technology Department
Vietnam Agricultural Cooperation – Philippines: Creating a Green Future and Upgrading the Global Value Chain
HANOI – Day 13 month 5 year 2026 marked an important milestone in agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and the Philippines. At the headquarters of the Vietnam Institute of Agricultural Technology Application and Development (VITAD-AGRI) – 24 Ly Thuong Kiet – Hoan Kiem – Hanoi, Strategic seminars and high-level working sessions took place between the Philippine delegation and leading Vietnamese experts. The event is not simply a technical exchange but also opens up large-scale investment prospects in the field of high-tech agriculture., renewable energy and organic food.
Overview of the meeting discussing agricultural cooperation between the Davao delegation – Philippines and VITAD-AGRI
The beginning of a common vision of Sustainable Agriculture
The meeting was chaired by Dr. Pham Dinh Nam, Vitad-Agri Director. On the Philippine side, The delegation led by Mr. Dony showed special interest in smart agricultural models that Vietnam is successfully implementing.. In the context that the regional agricultural industry is facing challenges from climate change and strict requirements of the international market, The combination of Vietnam's applied technology and the Philippines' potential resources is expected to create a strategic "push"..
Vietnam has now affirmed its position as an agricultural powerhouse when coconut export turnover officially exceeded the milestone 1,15 billion USD by year 2025, maintaining the third position in the world after the Philippines and Indonesia. This remarkable advancement is the result of standardizing raw material areas and applying deep processing technology – Valuable experiences that VITAD-AGRI experts are willing to share with Philippine partners.
Technology Transfer: The core of cooperation
Opening the working session, TS. Tran Dang Khoa – lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Technology, Hanoi National University – presented a panorama of potential agricultural technologies. Theo TS. Department, Vietnam possesses breakthrough solutions that can be immediately applied to key crops of the Philippines such as rice, coconut and coffee.
TS. Tran Dang Khoa spoke about the potential for cooperation between the Philippines and Vietnam in the field of agriculture
Particularly for the coconut industry, The difference in productivity is an important highlight. While the average yield in the Philippines reaches approx 3.719 fruit/ha/year, Vietnam has reached an impressive level 8.294 fruit/ha/year thanks to the application of improved coconut varieties and smart intensive farming techniques. The transfer of AI technologies in crop health monitoring and synchronized pest management processes (like dealing with beetles and blackhead worms) will help the Philippines optimize its production capacity 340 million existing coconut trees.
Besides that, Solutions for the rice industry are also discussed in depth, especially in the context that the Philippines is expected to import from 3,6 million tons of rice per year 2026, in which about 75-80% The supply comes from Vietnam. Technology cooperation will help the two sides not only stop at trade but also move forward with cooperation in producing high-quality rice varieties., Salt tolerance and climate change adaptation.
Affirming the brand and international Organic Standards
An indispensable part of the agricultural value chain is certification and standardization. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tung, Deputy General Director of VINACAB, introduced the competency profile of certification services and the "value creation" strategy, Affirming the brand". Mr. Tung emphasized that, so that Philippine agricultural products can penetrate deeply into demanding markets such as the US or EU, achieving certifications such as BRCGS, IFS or growing area codes (MSVT) is a mandatory condition.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tung introduced certification and standardization work
Continuing this topic, Dr. Nguyen Thi Dinh from the Vietnam Academy of Agriculture presented details about organic agriculture standards. The current, Vietnam has developed more 24.000 hectares of organic coconuts meeting USDA standards (America) and EU Organic. Experience in building linkage chains between businesses and farmers for clean production is the optimal solution that the Philippines can apply to increase value for 3,6 million hectares of its coconut growing land. The potential for cooperation in the rice industry is also huge.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Dinh presented details about organic agriculture standards
Other experts of VITAD-AGRI: Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, Lecturer at Vietnam Academy of Agriculture; Master Nguyen Xuan Tho, Israeli agricultural research and experimentation expert; Master Hoang Van Nien, expert in organic agriculture; MSc Le Ngoc Thanh Vinh, Experts on agricultural digitalization also spoke about the potential for science and technology cooperation between the two Philippine countries in the new situation..
Notable project: Biomass Pellets and Circular Agricultural Ecosystems
One highlight that attracted the attention of the Philippine delegation was the investment project of Evergy Phu Yen Joint Stock Company (belongs to Evergy Asia Group), do TS. Pham Dinh Nam directly introduced. This is a typical circular economy model located on National Highway 29, Duc Binh commune, Dak Lak province.
TS. Pham Dinh Nam introduces Biomass Pellets of Evergy Phu Yen
Technical specifications of Evergy Dak Lak Project:
|
Category |
Detail |
|
Factory capacity |
300.000 tons of biomass thermal pellets/year |
|
Raw material area |
3.200 ha planted with Napier elephant grass (high yield varieties) |
|
Organizational model |
05 Associated agricultural cooperatives |
|
Household size |
About 500 households participating in farming |
|
Ancillary products |
Supplying high quality organic fertilizers |
This project not only solves the green energy problem but also brings huge added value through the production of organic fertilizer from by-products.. In the context that the Philippines is making efforts to plant new crops 50 million coconut trees per year 2026 and implement a fertilization program 340 million existing trees, as well as developing and expanding rice growing areas, The source of organic fertilizer from this project is the perfect cooperation link. TS. Pham Dinh Nam affirmed, Evergy not only sells products but is ready to build a sustainable agricultural ecosystem with partners, from energy to plant nutrition.
Invitation from Davao and Future Vision
Respond to a warm welcome, Mr. Dony – Head of the Philippine delegation – expressed his appreciation and appreciation for the technologies presented by the Vietnamese side. He affirmed: “The Philippines not only sees Vietnam as a leading trade partner but also a strategic agricultural technology ally.”
Mr. Dony – The head of the Philippine delegation expressed his appreciation and appreciation for the cooperation between the two sides
To realize commitments, Mr. Dony respectfully invited the Director of VITAD-AGRI and the Institute's experts to visit and work in the Philippines in the near future.. Especially, A formal invitation was sent to the leadership of Evergy Corporation to attend the celebration of the founding of Davao state in September. 6 upcoming. This will be an opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to directly survey the market and sign memorandums of understanding on field cooperation..
Conclude
Daily work 13/5/2026 is not just a diplomatic event but a convergence of knowledge, technology and aspirations of Southeast Asian agriculture. With technical support from VITAD-AGRI, commitment to quality from VINACAB and breakthrough projects like Evergy, Vietnam cooperative relations – The Philippines is facing a new chapter. The combination of Vietnam's deep processing capacity and the Philippines' abundant resources will create a synergy, bringing regional agricultural products further on the global value map.
The journey from Hanoi to Davao is not just about geographical distance, but the path of digital transformation, green transformation and creating sustainable values for future generations.
Take souvenir photos at the end of the meeting
Some other images:
Perform: Thanh Vinh – Deputy Head of Technology Department
