Vietnamese poultry farmers face tough import competition

As elsewhere in the world, local poultry farmers face rising costs. Locally, bran prices have increased 6-fold in just 6 months. Another factor that has affected local producers is the reduction of the land fund for livestock in the country. And due to the recent rise in house prices, many households are choosing to sell their land or stop raising livestock to make a profit.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam has issued a message aimed at preventing the illegal trade and smuggling of poultry into the country to prevent the risks of various diseases entering the country. The ministry calls on provinces and cities to strengthen inspection, supervision and control, especially at border crossings, with particular attention to the southern border provinces.

Vietnamese authorities have also tightened sales, imports and exports of poultry meat at border crossings following two cases of human infection with A H5N1 avian influenza reported in Cambodia.

Vietnam's total chicken population was 498 million in 2020 and is projected to rise to around 555 million this year, according to Vietnam Net Global. Vietnam consumed an average of 17.8 kg of poultry meat per person in 2021, according to local media. This figure has increased to 18.3 kg per person in 2022 and is projected to continue to rise. In terms of trade, in 2022 the country imported 178,000 tons of chicken meat worth US $237 million . At the same time, Vietnam exported only 1,000 tons worth US$2.2 million.