The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development hosted a forum in Ho Chi Minh City on February 9 to promote closer linkage between Overseas Vietnamese businesses and domestic partners in agriculture.
The forum drew the participation of Vietnamese enterprises from Denmark, Israel, Sweden, Russia, Bulgaria, and France.
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Major staples include timber products, coffee, pepper, cashew nut, fruits and vegetable. (Photo for illustration)
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Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat highlighted potential of the sector, citing its growth of 3.31 percent and export turnover of 30.86 billion USD in 2014.
Major staples include timber products, coffee, pepper, cashew nut, fruits and vegetable, he noted.
However, he said the sector is facing difficulties in expanding export market.
Overseas Vietnamese firms said that they find it difficult to find domestic partners who can ensure stable supply of products in terms of both quantity and quality.
Many representatives said food safety is vital to increase Vietnamese farm produce’s competitive edge in choosy markets.
Meanwhile, high costs and time-consuming transport of goods hindered the consumption of farm produce at home, they said.
Participants also suggested building a management agency to facilitate direct connection among agriculture businesses.
They proposed an agency to serve as intermediary to introduce reliable domestic companies for them.
Minister Phat said overseas Vietnamese businesspeople can serve as an effective distribution channel to bring Vietnamese farm produce to the world.
The ministry is encouraging businesses to invest in agriculture processing and trade, he added.
Source: VNA