Advantages and challenges of trade promotion for agricultural, aquatic, and forestry products were discussed at a workshop in Hanoi on December 16.

The event, jointly held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), attracted the participation of 64 Vietnamese trade counselors and representatives overseas.

In recent years, Vietnamese exports have faced a number of technical trade barriers, such as green dragon fruit to the US and Taiwan and seafood to the EU and the US. Thus, it is necessary to understand the handling processes of export markets for these cases.

MoIT Deputy Minister Tran Quoc Khanh said there is a lack of information exchange between state administrative agencies, businesses, and trade representatives in foreign countries.

The MoIT proposed that the MARD work together with trade offices and representatives to boost the signing and implementation of mutual recognition agreements on food safety and hygiene and agreements on technical conditions for agricultural, aquatic and forestry products with Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Middle East, Western Asia, and Africa.

The two ministries will employ measures to support and encourage businesses to increase trade promotion activities at the CIS market.

The MARD gave its departments the task of studying the new US laws and regulations on agricultural issues, namely the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the country’s reviewed policy on Vietnamese exports of shrimp and fish to the market.

Source: VOV