About 7-8 tonnes of fruit grown in Thailand have been shipped to Vietnam for an ongoing fruit fair in Hanoi, according to Thailand’s National News Bureau (NNT).

The “Thai Fruit Fair in ASEAN” in Vietnam, part of the “2010 Made in Thailand” exhibition in Hanoi from May 5-8, has been organised by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE) in corporation with the Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce to promote Thai fruit in the ASEAN market, the NNT said on May 6.

The fair aims to showcase and create more awareness of the fruit that Thailand exports to Vietnam, such as durian, rambutan, mango, salacca, mangosteen, Pisang Mas banana (kluay khai) and coconut, according to the DOAE’s Director-General Ath Intharak.

It also provides an opportunity for Vietnamese fair-goers to taste them, said Ath, adding that he hopes this will open up business opportunities for Thai farmers.

Vietnam will become a vital market for Thai fruit exports, helping them to penetrate other markets such as southern and eastern China, NTT quoted Ath as saying.

The Thai ambassador to Vietnam is also involved in the process, helping to create important networks and relationships with neighbouring countries to push Thai fruit to the Chinese market, he said./.