Algeria seeks cooperation opportunities with Vietnam in hi-tech agriculture

Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Tran Quoc Khanh (third from left) and representatives of several firms in Biskra. (Photo: VNA)

Algiers - Several businesses in Algeria’s Biskra province have expressed their interest in finding partners in Vietnam for cooperation in date processing and export, as well as in the import of processed coconut products and other agricultural and food items with Halal certificate from Vietnam.

Representatives of local firms had a meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Tran Quoc Khanh, as part of his recent visit to the province.

About 450 kilometres southeast of Algiers capital, Biskra is an important stop on the trans-Saharan trade routes. The Algerian Government is actively promoting investment in the food processing industry in this province, with the aim of establishing a seed development institute there.

Director of the Biskra Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Tarek Abderrahman stated that local businesses are interested in collaborating on the processing of agricultural products for export, particularly those that meet Halal standards.

According to Abderrahman, the date industry in Algeria represents a key pillar of the agricultural economy, especially in the Sahara region. In 2024, the country's date exports have surpassed 100 million USD. Despite exporting this product to over 60 countries, Algeria still faces significant logistics challenges, including the efficient management of the cold chain, to maintain the highest quality of dates when they reach consumers.

Ambassador Khanh noted that there is significant potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Algeria. According to him, Vietnam has strengths in various sectors that are of great interest to Algeria, but the existing cooperation mechanisms between the two governments have not been fully aligned, resulting in certain limitations. This has made it difficult for Vietnamese businesses to enter the Algerian market and vice versa, Khanh said.

The diplomat said the greatest challenge for Vietnamese businesses is the tariff barrier imposed by Algeria to protect its domestic economy, while issues related to payment mechanisms, such as capital contributions, disbursement processes, and investment guarantees, also make many Vietnamese businesses cautious about investing in this market.

In the coming time, the embassy plans to propose to relevant Vietnamese authorities the introduction of a locality with similar potential to Biskra, which is interested in cooperating on high-tech agricultural product processing, to promote local-level cooperation and pave the way for establishing a sister-city relationship, he added./.