Potential lies not only in export volume
Vietnamese agricultural products and food are gaining more opportunities to expand their presence in UAE as tariff advantages from CEPA are gradually realized. However, significant potential lies not only in increasing export volume, but also in ability to increase product value through deep processing. From a foundation of domestic raw materials, enterprises can develop products with higher processing content and added value, thereby increasing competitiveness and exploiting UAE market in depth.
According to Ministry of Industry and Trade, UAE is committed to eliminating tariffs according to a schedule for 99% of Vietnam's export turnover to this market. In terms of tariff lines, UAE has opened up 94.9% of tariff lines to Vietnamese goods, with 74.2% eliminated immediately upon the agreement's entry into force and this rate increasing to 89.2% after 5 years of implementation.
For agricultural and aquatic products, tariff reduction commitments in CEPA are expected to create additional price advantages, thereby supporting Vietnamese goods to enhance their competitiveness and expand their presence in UAE. This potential extends across many product groups that Vietnam is already capable of supplying, such as cashew nuts, pepper, rice, tea, fruits and vegetables, honey and aquatic products such as tiger prawns, tuna and pangasius.
At trade promotion meeting with Vietnamese Trade Offices Abroad in September 2026, Mr. Truong Xuan Trung, representative of Vietnamese Trade Office in the UAE, stated that agriculture accounts for only about 0.8% of the UAE's economic structure, while Vietnam imports approximately 80% of its food needs for domestic consumption. Not only does the UAE have a large import demand, but it also plays a role as a re-export center, thereby expanding market access opportunities for Vietnamese goods. “UAE, despite its small population, is a large market. In fact, it's an open door, a re-export market, allowing Vietnamese products to be exported not only to UAE but also to other GCC countries and other Middle Eastern and African countries”, Mr. Truong Xuan Trung emphasized.
However, if we only view opportunities of CEPA through potential for increased export volume, market's potential remains largely untapped. For Vietnamese agricultural products, more important challenge is how to increase value per product, expand proportion of processed goods and gradually build a more stable position in distribution system.
Also sharing at Trade Promotion Conference with System of Vietnamese Trade Offices Abroad in September 2026, Ms. Ba Thi Nguyet Thu, Director of HalalViet Promotion and Experience Center, said that demand for deeply processed products in Halal markets is still very large. However, ability to meet specific standards of markets such as the UAE or Malaysia is still an area where Vietnamese businesses need to continue to improve.
From this reality, it can be seen that CEPA is creating more conditions for businesses to consider a longer-term strategy. When tariff advantages are improved, investing in deep processing can help businesses increase the value of export goods, while diversifying products instead of focusing on a few traditional items.
This is also a significant direction for Vietnamese agricultural products, as competition in UAE is not solely based on price. Ministry of Industry and Trade notes that this is a highly competitive market; agricultural and food products must meet requirements regarding food safety, limits on chemicals and pesticides and regulations related to Halal.
Therefore, advantages in supply need to be transformed into advantages in quality, processing capabilities and suitability to market demand. A product with a higher level of processing but meeting standards, packaging and consumer preferences can create greater differentiated value than competing primarily on raw materials.
Improving processing capacity to increase value
Bringing deeply processed products to UAE means enterprises must prepare more thoroughly from the beginning of production chain. While Halal requirements may be more easily met for some raw agricultural products that undergo multiple processing stages involve more factors, from raw materials and additives to production processes and certification.
According to Ms. Ba Thi Nguyet Thu, for some products, supply of raw materials meeting Halal requirements in Vietnam is limited, forcing enterprises to proactively source from Indonesia and Malaysia for production.
From an industry development perspective, this is also a market segment that can continue to be exploited domestically. As demand for exported processed products to UAE and other Muslim markets increases, establishing suitable raw material sources, developing processing industry and providing supporting services will help enterprises be more proactive and increase value created in Vietnam.
This is even more significant given that CEPA has created a more favorable platform for market access. Instead of waiting for new orders to adjust production, enterprises can research UAE requirements early on to select raw materials, develop formulas, design packaging and build processes suitable for their target customer segment.
However, tariff preferences are only enjoyed when goods meet rules of origin of agreement. Circular No.24/2026/TT-BCT of Ministry of Industry and Trade specifically stipulates criteria for determining origin, specific product rules, cumulation, flexible quotas, certification and origin verification. Understanding these regulations is especially important for processed products using many types of raw materials, as input structure can directly affect the ability to meet CEPA origin requirements.
Therefore, increasing proportion of deeply processed goods is not simply about investing in an additional production stage. Enterprises need to simultaneously consider raw material sources, origin, standards, certifications, packaging and market demand right from product development stage.
Potential from CEPA will be exploited more effectively when tariff advantages are coupled with processing capacity, quality control and ability to adapt to market requirements. In that case, export growth will not only come from selling more goods, but also from increasing the value in each product and improving the competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural and food products.
This also provides a basis for enterprises to gradually increase proportion of deeply processed products in the UAE, creating a more solid foothold for Vietnamese goods and expanding access to other markets in the Middle East region.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn