Constraints to market participation in agriculture in Vietnam

Abstract

It is well known that Vietnam has achieved impressive success in agricultural commercialisation, in particular in relation to rice and also cash crops.This paper draws on evidence from the Vietnam Access to Resources Household Surveys in 12 provinces in 2006, 2008 and2010, and looks at the extent to which households are engaged in selling in agriculture, looking separately at rice and cash crops. Significant numbers of households still do not sell, or only occasionally sell rice, but this varies significantly by province; in addition poorer households are also those that sell less. Small land size is an important factor, but other factors are also important includingland restrictions (which encourage cash cropping), extension, presence of local market facilities, and membership of farmers or women's groups.