A farmer tends to mango trees at a farm in Loc Hung commune of Loc Ninh district, southern Binh Phuoc province (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Experts have recommended Vietnamesefirms develop organic products for export to the EU, considering it a measureto boost the shipment of farm produce to this demanding market.
At a workshop held in Hanoi on August 7,participants called on businesses to increase the export of organic productssince more and more consumers in the EU have preferred food produced andprocessed through natural methods.
Do Kim Lang, Deputy Director of the VietnamTrade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), saidwith tropical agriculture advantages and strong integration into the worldeconomy, Vietnam is able to produce a diversity of agricultural products withhigh nutritional and commercial value.
As of the end of June 2018, Vietnam had had morethan 10 key farm produce for export. These products have been present in over160 countries and territories, including major markets like the US, the EU andJapan.
Some products have brought home over 1 billionUSD in export revenue, including coffee, rice, cashew nut, fruit andvegetables, and pepper. In the world rankings, Vietnam respectively ranksfirst, second and third in exporting pepper, coffee and rice, Lang noted.
However, because of limited processing capacityand a lack of strong brand names, the export turnover of agricultural and foodproducts has yet to match export volume, he said, adding that export profit hasalso been reduced due to many intermediary steps.
He said the integration process also poses bigchallenges to businesses when they have to face protection measures in the formof technical barriers, including stricter safety and quality standards andtightened examination procedures, in import markets.
Tran Ngoc Quan, Deputy Director of the MoIT’sDepartment of European and American Markets, said European markets have highdemand for agricultural products, especially tropical ones, but they alsoimpose strict requirements for product quality and food safety.
He asked Vietnamese exporters to have a goodgrasp of Vietnam and partner countries’ commitments in trade deals, activelyseek chances for cooperation with foreign partners, join global supply chains,and improve their workers’ skills and productivity.
They should overhaul production processes sothat fruit and vegetables satisfy HACCP or GlobalGAP standards and are eligiblefor export to the EU. It is also necessary to develop concentrated farmingareas and apply advanced preservation and processing technologies to meetimporters’ requirements, experts said. –VNA
VNA
