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

The stalls of 14 Vietnamese companies, featuring farm produce and seafood such as vegetables, cashew nuts, fish sauce, cakes and beverages attract attention from many Japanese firms and market managers.

The annual event drew enterprises from more than 82 countries and territories across the world with an estimated 70,000 visitors.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Doan Xuan Hung said there is a great potential for Vietnamese and Japanese businesses to boost their cooperation although Japan has strict agricultural 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 of Vietnam’s seafood, accounting for an average 26 percent of the country’s total aquatic export value.

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

Do Vu Thanh from the Trade Promotion Centre under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development suggested Vietnamese businesses place more importance on quality of plants, post-harvest processing and preservation in order to overcome the strict quality barrier to enter the Japanese market, and furthermore, reap success in the global playing field.-VNA