Vietnamese exporters are displaying their products at the 2014International Food and Beverage Exhibition that opened in Chibaprefecture, Japan, on March 4 with the hope of expanding their marketshare in the East Asian country.

The stalls of 14 Vietnamesecompanies, featuring farm produce and seafood such as vegetables, cashewnuts, fish sauce, cakes and beverages attract attention from manyJapanese firms and market managers.

The annual event drewenterprises from more than 82 countries and territories across the worldwith an estimated 70,000 visitors.

Vietnamese Ambassador toJapan Doan Xuan Hung said there is a great potential for Vietnamese andJapanese businesses to boost their cooperation although Japan has strictagricultural protection policies.

Vietnamese products accounted for 9 percent of Japan’s seafood market in 2012.

Between 1993 and 2011, Japan was the largest single market ofVietnam’s seafood, accounting for an average 26 percent of the country’stotal aquatic export value.

Besides aquatic products,Vietnamese fruits have made headway into the Japanese market, with HoaLoc mango and Nam Roi grapefruit already winning popularity in thischoosy East Asian market. Last year Vietnam also shipped 1,000 tonnes ofdragon fruit to the country.

Do Vu Thanh fromthe Trade Promotion Centre under the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment suggested Vietnamese businesses place more importance onquality of plants, post-harvest processing and preservation in order toovercome the strict quality barrier to enter the Japanese market, andfurthermore, reap success in the global playing field.-VNA