Removing 'bottlenecks' for highland agricultural products to reach further on digital platforms

New problem in trade promotion

In the strong flow of integration and digital transformation, e-commerce is no longer the “playground” of large enterprises but is gradually penetrating into every village and every stall of small traders. This is considered a new “door” opening up opportunities for direct connection between highland products and consumers across the country. However, to step through that door, there are still many barriers that need to be removed, from awareness, goods sources to logistics.

Sharing with Cong Thuong Newspaper at the Workshop "Promoting technology solutions and developing e-commerce in Lang Son 2025" held in mid-August, Mr. Nguyen An Son, Specialist of Digital Transformation Department, Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ) frankly pointed out three major groups of challenges that small traders and business households are facing.

First of all, barriers in awareness and digital skills are still fundamental obstacles. Many small traders, especially in rural and mountainous areas, have limited knowledge of digital transformation and e-commerce applications. Putting products on the market or organizing online sales not only requires an understanding of technology, but also marketing and customer care skills, which they are not fully equipped with.

Highland agricultural products need to overcome challenges from awareness, goods sources to logistics

Second, the supply of goods is not proactive. Many small traders depend too much on suppliers, even imported sources. This makes business unstable, prices difficult to control, and lacks long-term sustainability. The final challenge lies in the imbalance in e-commerce development between urban and local areas. In big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, consumers are familiar with online shopping, while in the provinces, awareness and consumer behavior on digital platforms are still reserved. This difference makes it difficult for local traders to keep up with the pace of development, creating an increasingly large gap.

“ For e-commerce to develop sustainably, it is important not only to expand in urban areas, but also to spread evenly to provinces, rural areas and mountainous areas, ” Mr. Son emphasized.

Digital solutions for specialty agricultural products

From another perspective, Mr. Nguyen Lam Thanh, TikTok Representative in Vietnam, said that with the characteristics of agricultural products in the highlands, it is often difficult to preserve and transport, and the problem of consumption requires specialized solutions. “ Agricultural products in remote areas often have small output, not reaching industrial scale; transportation costs are very high. This is a barrier that makes it difficult to bring specialties to urban consumers or large markets ,” Mr. Thanh analyzed.

To solve this problem, according to Mr. Thanh, TikTok and TikTok Shop have implemented many programs to support people with digital skills, from instructions on packaging according to goods circulation standards to how to record videos and livestream to sell products effectively. At the same time, this platform also coordinates with logistics units to build special shipping routes, helping fresh products such as fruits reach consumers in the shortest time.

Not stopping there, TikTok has also repeatedly proposed that the State consider implementing a separate transportation support policy for agricultural products in remote areas. According to Mr. Thanh, if localities can share part of the cost of transporting goods from villages to the collection point, businesses and platforms will take care of the rest, thereby forming a more efficient operating chain.

E-commerce opens new doors for highland agricultural products

“ I hope that in the near future, we will have a dedicated transportation program for highland agricultural products. This will be an important step to more closely connect producers and consumers nationwide, ” said Mr. Thanh.

The reality of small traders' business activities and recommendations from digital platform enterprises show that trade promotion in the digital age cannot stop at fairs or traditional supply-demand connection sessions, but must go hand in hand with the comprehensive digital transformation process. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has been promoting training for small traders, while coordinating with technology platforms to build sustainable operating models. This companionship will help highland products not only expand geographically, but also enhance their value, becoming a source of pride for the community.

In the digital economic picture, e-commerce is not only a new sales channel, but also a bridge connecting highland products with the national market. To make that bridge sustainable, it requires synchronous coordination: the government creates policies, platform businesses invest in technology, and small traders proactively cultivate digital skills. When these three links are connected, agricultural products from remote villages will confidently enter supermarkets, e-commerce platforms, and even international markets. That is the path to sustainable trade promotion, turning the people's desire for change into reality.

Source: https://moit.gov.vn/tin-tuc/xuc-tien-thuong-mai/go-nut-that-de-nong-san-vung-cao-vuon-xa-tren-nen-tang-so.html