Argentina aims to up exports to Vietnam

HCM City (VNA) - Argentina wants to boost exports of agricultural products to Vietnam and at the same time buy more Vietnamese products, an agriculture official from the South American country has said.

Rosario Martearena, undersecretary for agricultural markets in the Ministry of Agriculture of Argentina, is leading a trade mission comprising 11 companies to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to explore trade opportunities.

Speaking at a business matching event in HCM City on November 29, she said Argentina and Vietnam have a very good partnership, especially in trade, as shown by their rising trade in recent years.

Vietnam has become the fourth biggest importer of Argentina, buying more than 2.5 billion USD worth of products from the country this year to October.

Of Argentina’s exports to Vietnam, soybean meal accounted for nearly 59 percent, maize 29 percent, and wheat 5 percent.

She said through her visit Argentina hopes to diversify its exports to Vietnam by also shipping beef, goat meat, pork and aquatic products.

“I am also working to open more market opportunities for Vietnam. Argentina is very interested in Vietnamese fruits and garments and textiles," she said.

[Vietnam important trade partner of Argentina: Vice President]

Nearly half of the Argentinian companies represented in her delegation have done business with Vietnam and so already know the market and about businesses here, she said, adding that the Vietnamese embassy in Argentina is very supportive in providing market information.

Ho Xuan Lam, deputy director of the HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre, said his centre and the city have organised many trade promotion activities including business seminars and B2B events to acquaint local companies with the Argentinian market and solicit investment from Argentinian businesses.

Argentina is now one of Vietnam’s most important trade partner in Latin America.

Bilateral trade topped 2.9 billion USD last year and is expected to rise to 3.5 billion USD this year.

Vietnam mainly exports footwear, textiles, rubber, electronic parts, and plastic products and imports soybeans, soybean oil, maize, wheat, cattle feed and drugs.

Next year Vietnam and Argentina will celebrate 45 years of diplomatic ties.-VNA