The market has great potential
The problem of expanding export markets is becoming more urgent than ever for Vietnamese enterprises. The Halal market in the Middle East and developing countries is emerging as a strateistic destination, not only because of its trillions of USD scale but also because of large and stable import demand.
Mr. Tran Kim Khanh - representative of San Ha Company Limited said that currently, the enterprise is gradually orienting the development of Halal-standard products, because the demand of this market is increasing sharply. The main product groups that the region is in high demand for are milk, meat, rice, processed foods and drinks.
In reality, every day, many international trade unions come to learn and express their desire for Vietnamese enterprises to meet Halal products. This is identified as a potential export market and also a key market, with the largest scale that businesses are aiming for in the coming time" - Mr. Khanh said.
This orientation is also assessed by trade promotion agencies as an inevitable trend in the new context. Mr. Tran Phu Lu - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Center (ITPC), affirmed that diversifying export markets, especially exploiting the Halal market in the Middle East, has become a prerequisite for domestic enterprises. Currently, the Middle East is one of the most dynamic import markets in the world, with the value of goods estimated at more than 1,200 billion USD per year and a GDP growth rate ranging from 5-6%.
In particular, Turkey is considered a "golden location", playing a gateway for businesses to penetrate deeper into the Islamic market with more than 2 billion consumers. In order to support businesses to seize opportunities, ITPC has deployed more than 160 trade promotion activities in 2025, focusing on building a Halal ecosystem, supporting quality certification and organizing trade unions in Dubai, Egypt and Malaysia.
Exceeding standard barriers
Ms. Nguyen Phuong Tra - Director of the Middle East - Africa Department (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), said that the Halal market currently accounts for about 25% of the world's population and is forecast to reach an economic scale of 10,000 billion USD before 2028. The Halal food sector alone is expected to increase from 2,715 billion USD in 2024 to nearly 5,911 billion USD in 2033, with an average growth rate of about 9%/year.
According to Ms. Tra, the Middle East is a region with great purchasing power with 500 million people, GDP reaching about 3,600 billion USD. Due to limitations in agricultural production, countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have to import up to 85% of food and foodstuff needs, with a total food import turnover in 2023 of up to 132 billion USD. The largest import markets include Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
In addition to opportunities to expand, Vietnamese enterprises also face many challenges, the biggest of which is the diverse and complex Halal standard system. The barriers do not only come from high certification costs and short validity periods, but also from fierce competition from leading exporting countries. In addition, the risk of trade fraud is also a matter to note, requiring businesses to carefully assess partners and strictly control payment terms.
To realize the potential, Ms. Nguyen Phuong Tra suggested that Ho Chi Minh City strengthen cooperation with major economic centers such as Dubai or Riyadh, establish a Halal Business Association, and develop preferential policies on taxes and interest rates. Businesses are also recommended to proactively participate in prestigious specialized fairs such as Saudi Food Expo, Halal Trade Expo Dubai or MIHAS in Malaysia.
From a specific market perspective, Ms. Nguyen Viet Hang - Vietnam Trade Advisor in Türkiye, commented that in the context of many fluctuations in the global economy, the economic - trade cooperation relationship between Vietnam and Türkiye in 2025 will continue to record positive developments.
With a population of nearly 90 million people and a key member of the Organization of the Indian Ocean (OIC), Turkey is aiming to double Halal export turnover in the next 5 years. This is a golden opportunity for localities such as Ho Chi Minh City - the economic locomotive of the country, to take advantage of the advantages of production and logistics to penetrate deeply into the global Halal supply chain.
