Singapore to diversify Vietnamese food products imports

At the headquarters of the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore, Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh and representatives of the Vietnam Trade Office held talks with a delegation from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), led by CEO Damian Chan. The two sides discussed measures to foster cooperation in the food and agricultural sector, with emphasis on promoting Vietnamese rice in the Singaporean market.

The Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore had a working session with the delegation of the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

Damian Chan noted that Singapore currently imports about 90 percent of its food supply from abroad. Ensuring food security, therefore, remains a top national priority. Diversifying sources of food imports from partner countries is a key strategy in Singapore’s approach.

Vietnam is among Singapore’s major suppliers of food products. Singaporean consumers are already familiar with a wide range of Vietnamese imports, including rice, seafood, coffee, fruits, and processed food products, which are widely distributed through major supermarket chains and small- and medium-sized retailers.

Singapore is also keen to further diversify its imports of Vietnamese food products. On March 11, 2025, SFA officially approved the import of several additional Vietnamese products, including heat-processed poultry meat, poultry eggs, and high-temperature sterilized canned meat (excluding beef), based on a list recommended by Vietnamese authorities. Chan affirmed that SFA is ready to further strengthen cooperation to expand imports of Vietnamese food products.

Regarding rice — the most widely consumed staple in Singapore — Chan emphasized that Vietnam has consistently ranked among the top three rice suppliers to the Singaporean market. He expressed hope that Vietnamese rice will continue to meet both quantity and quality requirements in Singapore in the coming years.

Chan also conveyed SFA’s gratitude to the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore for its support in facilitating trade promotion missions to Vietnam in recent years, particularly in the field of food and agricultural products.

Golden opportunity for Vietnam's rice exporters

Responding to SFA representatives, Ambassador Tran Phuoc Anh expressed appreciation for SFA’s close cooperation and support for Vietnamese food and agricultural products. The Ambassador stressed that Vietnamese products — including food and agricultural goods — are increasingly meeting the high standards of demanding markets such as the United States and the European Union, while remaining price competitive.

Ambassador Tran Phuoc Anh welcomed the joint efforts that recently enabled the opening of the Singaporean market to Vietnamese poultry meat and eggs. He also expressed hope that Singapore will continue to consider opening its market to additional categories of Vietnamese meat products and other food items.

Looking ahead, the Ambassador highlighted that Vietnam offers a wide variety of food products well suited to the Singaporean market, while Singapore serves as a key trade and transshipment hub in the region and globally. He also underlined Singapore’s financial, technological, and expert resources, which could further facilitate bilateral cooperation.

Ambassador Tran Phuoc Anh proposed that SFA continue sending delegations to Vietnam to explore products and engage with relevant authorities to develop new mechanisms for deeper cooperation and expanded market access for Vietnamese products. The Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore will continue working closely with all parties to promote trade and expand market opportunities for Vietnamese food products in Singapore. The Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore will remain the key coordinating body to support these cooperative efforts.

Cao Xuan Thang, Trade Counsellor and Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore, emphasized that Vietnamese rice exports to Singapore have grown steadily in recent years. According to data from Singapore’s Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, Vietnam currently ranks as Singapore’s third-largest rice supplier, following India and Thailand. Notably, during the first half of 2024, Vietnam was the top rice exporter to Singapore — a clear indication that Vietnamese rice meets the stringent standards and market demand in Singapore.

Thang noted that in the current global context of economic volatility and increasing food security concerns, Vietnamese enterprises have an opportunity to further boost their exports. To capitalize on this, he recommended that Vietnamese businesses intensify marketing efforts, improve product quality and packaging, and leverage Singapore’s position as a transshipment hub to access additional markets. Participation in major international trade fairs, increased brand presence, and engagement in business networking events organized by reputable entities such as SFA, the Vietnamese Embassy, and the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore will be essential.

SFA has agreed to continue working closely with the Vietnamese Embassy, the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore, and relevant agencies to facilitate even greater trade cooperation and smoother commercial flows for food and agricultural products between the two countries.