Vietnam and the US have agreed to step up their cooperation in scientific-technological application and coping with climate change in agriculture, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat has said.

The minister talked with Quan doi Nhan dan (People’s Army) newspaper’s reporter following his working session with US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in Washington as part of the US visit by President Truong Tan Sang.

Minister Phat said that the two sides have also discussed ways to iron out snags in the trade of farm produce between the two countries.

According to Phat, the US side pledged to soon allow the import of a number of tropical fruits such as longan, litchi and mango from Vietnam while continuing to consider other products.

The US Secretary of Agriculture also said he will discuss with US relevant agencies issues of Vietnam’s concerns such as the export of tra fish, shrimp and honey to the market.

Minister Phat noted that the two sides will actively engage in the negotiations on the Trans-Asia Pacific (TPP) agreement to further enhance their trade of agricultural products.

The minister said he raised the issue of lawsuits against Vietnamese tra and basa fish, which are increasing in both scale and frequency in the US , and Secretary Tom Vilsack promised to discuss them with US relevant agencies.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese side suggested signing a Governmental-level agreement on cooperation in agriculture, and the US side said they are also considering this possibility, according to Minister Phat.

Sharing his views about the TPP agreement which is under negotiations among 12 members, including Vietnam and the US, Minister Phat held that the TPP is very important to Vietnam , especially the agricultural sector at a time when most of Vietnamese agricultural products are seeking to expand export market.

Vietnam is resolved to pursue just and sensible negotiations on the TPP in order to sign the agreement by the end of the year, the minister said.-VNA