Vietnam Agro-Products Business Co., Ltd. (VAL) inaugurated the new line on 10/12, boasting a crushing capacity of 4,000 tons per day. This advanced line integrates comprehensive automation with real-time quality monitoring and control, designed to top international standards. These innovations optimize operational efficiency, conserve energy, ensure consistent product quality, and adhere to the highest safety and environmental protection regulations.

Combined with its first line, which began operations in 2011 and has a current crushing capacity of 3,800 tons of soybeans daily, the VAL plant is now a leading soybean crushing complex in Southeast Asia.

An overview of the VAL plant in Phu My 1 industrial park. Photo: VAL

When operating at full capacity, both crushing lines will process up to 2,6 million tons of soybeans and produce nearly 2 million tons of soybean meal annually. This output meets approximately 30% of the domestic animal feed demand. In addition to serving the animal husbandry sector, the plant is estimated to produce over 500,000 tons of crude soybean oil each year, fulfilling both domestic consumption and export needs.

Nguyen Cong Vinh, vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee (center), Rajpal Singh, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Singapore to Vietnam (8th from right), Anne Benjaminson, deputy consul general of the US (6th from right) in Ho Chi Minh City, along with local leaders, cut the ribbon for the new line. Photo: VAL

The VAL complex, located on an 11,2 ha site in the heart of Phu My 1 industrial park, features a specialized design for optimal efficiency and product quality. It includes eight raw material silos with a total capacity of 120,000 tons, equipped with a fully automated temperature and humidity control system. This system maintains freshness, nutrient stability, and meets optimal processing standards for soybeans.

The plant's fully automated process, from cleaning and dehulling to flaking, conditioning, and extraction, integrates advanced technologies from global suppliers such as Desmet and Crown. Smart sensors, combined with continuous near-infrared (NIR) analysis, monitor critical parameters, minimizing deviations and ensuring consistent product quality. Production adheres to international standards including HACCP, HALAL, KOSHER, ISO 22000:2018, ISO 14001:2015, FSSC version 6, and OSHA, guaranteeing food safety, transparent traceability, and environmental responsibility.

By producing domestically, VAL eliminates international sea transport distances, ensuring timely delivery of fully traceable soybean meal with a freshness advantage.

Nguyen Minh Vi, general director of VAL, shares the company's long-term strategy. Photo: VAL

VAL is a joint venture between Bunge (US) and Wilmar (Singapore), specializing in oilseed processing and providing food products and animal feed. Nguyen Minh Vi, VAL general director, stated that the operation of the second soybean crushing line marks a significant milestone in the company's long-term strategy. This expansion boosts production capacity to meet rising demand in both domestic and international markets. "Powered by advanced technology and guided by a sustainable development strategy, VAL is confident in its ability to deliver tangible value to partners and the community—contributing to the development of a modern, self-reliant, and sustainable animal husbandry industry," Vi said.

Nguyen Cong Vinh, vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, noted that the inauguration of the second crushing line demonstrates international investors' confidence in Ho Chi Minh City's development prospects. The plant is expected to become a large-scale agricultural processing project in Southeast Asia, featuring modern production lines that meet strict environmental standards and align with the city's high-tech agricultural development orientation.

"With its favorable location and the capacity to supply about 30% of the soybean meal market for the animal feed industry, this project will play a role in ensuring food security, mitigating supply chain risks, and stabilizing prices for the livestock sector," Vinh said. He added that the project will also boost budget revenue, create thousands of stable jobs with high incomes, improving living standards and fostering sustainable local growth.

Nguyen Cong Vinh, vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, speaks at the inauguration ceremony. Photo: VAL

The newly inaugurated second soybean crushing line also aligns with VAL's "green growth – responsible development" goal, established from its inception in Vietnam. The plant incorporates a heat recovery and reuse system to reduce energy consumption, a closed-loop water circulation system to optimize resource use and limit discharge, and continuous automation to minimize workplace risks.

VAL also fosters a safety culture through regular training programs across all production operations. By prioritizing three core pillars: efficiency, sustainability, and safety, the company enhances production capacity while affirming its responsibility to the environment, community, and future generations, aiming for sustainable growth.

Hoang Anh