- Vietnam seeks collaboration with China to boost garlic industry.
- Vietnam’s garlic industry lacks data to advance sector.
- It needs China’s help to develop higher value garlic products and premium varieties.
Speaking at the 2026 Garlic Conference in Shandong, China, Dr Do Quang Tung said the two countries should move beyond a exporter-importer relationship and build cooperation across the entire garlic value chain.
“The garlic sector may not be the largest area in bilateral trade, but it demonstrates the ability to shift from mere commodity exchange to deeper cooperation across the entire agricultural value chain,” said Do, Vietnam’s Agricultural and Environmental Counsellor to China.
Vietnam sees opportunities in its local garlic varieties, including the premium Ly Son garlic, which grows in the volcanic soil of Ly Son Island.
The push comes as Vietnam faces growing demand for garlic products while lacking data on planting area, production, consumption and imports.
Although garlic is a relatively small crop compared with rice, coffee and fruit, it remains in demand as a staple ingredient. Production is concentrated in several central coastal and northern provinces.
The country has observed demand expanding beyond fresh garlic to include processed products such as black garlic, peeled garlic, dried garlic, garlic powder, minced garlic and garlic oil.
Vietnam proposes cooperation
According to Do, limited domestic production and strong competition from imported supplies have left Vietnam reliant on garlic imports to meet both consumption and processing needs.
He said Vietnam was proposing cooperation with China in key areas to address these challenges.
Cultivation emerged as a key area for collaboration, where pilot projects could combine Chinese know-how in large-scale production, mechanisation, irrigation and post-harvest management with Vietnam’s local garlic varieties and growing conditions.
Research and development was also highlighted, with stakeholders from both countries urged to pursue joint breeding programmes to improve yield, quality, shelf life and pest resistance while protecting Vietnam’s native germplasm and geographical indications.
Processing has also emerged as a priority as Vietnam seeks to capture more value from the crop.
Do suggested both sides cooperate in developing more products derived from garlic, leveraging China’s technology and market experience alongside Vietnam’s raw material base.
He added that Chinese suppliers could provide raw materials for processing facilities in Vietnam, helping local manufacturers serve domestic demand and potentially expand exports to third-country markets.
Over the longer term, Vietnam aims to strengthen the export potential of premium products such as Ly Son garlic by improving quality, traceability, food safety, branding, geographical indications and processing capabilities.
Do said the Vietnamese Embassy in China stands ready to facilitate connections between Chinese investors, businesses and research organisations and suitable partners in Vietnam to support future collaboration in the garlic sector.
China’s garlic industry dwarfs that of Vietnam, with around 850,000 ha under cultivation and annual output exceeding 16 million tonnes.
Garlic and related product exports generate more than US$3.5bn annually, supported by a well-developed processing industry producing products for food, healthcare and pharmaceutical markets.
