Connecting suppliers with markets boosts production and exports

Connecting trade, bolstering exports (Photo: Vietnamplus)

The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency has numerous programs to promote exports by helping suppliers access new markets.

In order to anticipate new opportunities, the Ministry of Industry and Trade held a conference in Hanoi on May 20 to connect suppliers in the northern and north central regions with export enterprises and trade promotion organisations.

Linking for mutual benefit

During the last two years, due to the impacts of COVID-19, trade promotion activities declined or were absent in many localities. Although lots of companies have moved promotion activities online, there is still the need to establish viable consumption markets domestically and around the world.

Pham Duc Toan, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dien Bien province said that in recent years Dien Bien has gradually promoted its advantages and overcome difficulties. It has done so by establishing import-export relations and border trade with the northern provinces in Laos and China’s Yunnan. This has resulted in an increase in import and export activities through the Tay Trang international border gate.

Cement, snow shan tea, coffee, rubber, and other agricultural products and processed foods produced in Dien Bien have reached the northern provinces of Laos, adding to the State budget as well as building a peaceful, stable and developed border area.

COVID-19 has greatly affected import and export activities in Dien Bien, leaving the province’s export economy with modest results.

Pham Duc Toan, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dien Bien province proposed the Ministry of Industry and Trade support Dien Bien in promoting and connecting the province's key agricultural products to new markets. 

Large retail businesses and corporations have been promoting products in new markets. But the province needs stronger promotion to new markets to build brands in a sustainable way.

Tran Lam Hong, Standing Deputy General Director of Saigon Co-op said that, in 2021, despite being greatly affected by the pandemic, the business still earned nearly 70 billion USD by exporting Vietnamese agricultural and processed products and food.

The markets Saigon Co-op is targeting are Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the US, and Europe.

In the north region, Saigon Co-op is exploiting goods from nearly 100 suppliers with many groups of vegetables, fruits, seafood, cattle meat, poultry, and eggs, among other items.

The total quantity of goods supplied to Saigon Co-op's system is approximately 5,000 tons a year with turnover of over 150 billion VND. The main product groups are vegetables and fruits such as Ha Giang’s oranges, Cao Phong’s oranges, Son La’s mangoes, and Bac Giang’s lychee.

According to Saigon Co-op, they will continue to promote products in the northern provinces as well as other regions across the country, with an increase estimated at 5-10% depending on the product group.

Conference on connecting suppliers in northern and northern central regions with export enterprises and trade promotion organisations (Photo: Vietnamplus) 

According to Vu Ba Phu, Director General of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, the implementation of national programs on trade promotion to support Vietnamese enterprises is critical. A focus on the domestic market as well as international markets is part of their synchronized strategy for the long-term. This is especially the case with small and medium enterprises, and cooperatives to connect trade, bolster domestic demand and supply, product consumption while intensifying domestic market development to match the consumption of nearly 100 million people./.