Extending shelf life of agri products to reduce export costs

Vietnamese agricultural products have been exported to more than 190 markets, yet a major limitation remains in preservation capacity and post-harvest loss reduction.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, Director of the Viet Nam Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology, pointed out that if preservation technologies are improved, the storage time of agricultural products could be extended by 1.5-2 times. This would create conditions for more commodities to be transported by sea rather than relying on air freight.

This is particularly important for fresh products such as fruits, vegetables, and seafood. When storage duration is extended, logistics costs can be significantly reduced while also expanding export opportunities to distant markets such as the EU and North America.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, Director of the Viet Nam Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Post Harvest Technology. Photo: Bao Thang.

This assessment was presented in a speech on the development orientation for preservation and processing technologies for agricultural, forestry, and fishery products at the conference, summarizing quality management, food safety, processing, and market development.

According to Dr Pham Anh Tuan, Viet Nam's agriculture is shifting its goal from increasing output to growth based on quality, value, and sustainability, in which preservation and processing technologies have become a key link in the value chain.

In reality, post-harvest losses in many sectors remain high. Losses in fruit and vegetable production can reach 20–30% of total output, seafood about 15-25%, and rice around 13-15%. Every year, about a third of fresh food made for human consumption goes to waste. According to the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), approximately 1.3 billion tons of food are tossed and not used for human nutrition.

Viet Nam loses approximately 8.8 million tons of food annually, valued at US$3.9 billion (2% of GDP), with about a quarter of produce lost before reaching processing or distribution. Key issues include inefficient cold-chain logistics, high perishability of fruits/vegetables (32% loss), and significant waste in urban areas such as Ho Chi Minh City, where 88% of waste ends up in landfills.

The main reason is that agricultural production remains small-scale and fragmented, while post-harvest preservation infrastructure has not yet been developed in a synchronized manner. In particular, the cold chain supply system, which is considered a decisive factor for many fresh products, remains insufficient and unevenly developed across production regions.

In addition, the proportion of enterprises investing in technological innovation for processing remains limited. Many agricultural products are still exported in raw or semi-processed forms, resulting in low added value and limited competitiveness.

In the context of importing markets imposing increasingly stringent standards on quality, traceability, and carbon footprint, developing preservation and deep processing technologies has become more urgent.

One of the priority directions is the development of smart cold supply chains capable of controlling microclimate throughout storage and transportation. New technologies such as functional packaging, biological materials, and real-time monitoring systems for storage conditions are being researched and applied to extend storage duration while maintaining product quality.

Alongside preservation, the agricultural sector is also shifting toward a stronger emphasis on deep processing, rather than primarily on pre-processing as at present. Technologies for the extraction and recovery of bioactive substances from agricultural products and by-products, such as polyphenols, proteins, cellulose, or antioxidants, can generate high-value products for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

Viet Nam currently has a large volume of agricultural by-products. According to research and statistical data, the agricultural sector generates around 156.8 million tons of by-products each year, most of which come from crop production and livestock farming.

If effectively utilized, these by-products could be processed into a range of new products, such as functional foods, biological materials, animal feed, and organic fertilizers. This is also an important pathway for developing a circular economy in agriculture while reducing emissions and maximizing the use of biomass resources.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Anh Tuan noted that technological innovation in preservation and processing not only helps reduce losses but also creates significant room to increase the value of agricultural products. "The requirement on enhancing added value and reducing post-harvest losses is becoming a direct driver of technological innovation in agriculture," said Director Tuan.