Vietnamese businesses need to step up trade promotions and advertising so their brand names become familiar to consumers in the Netherlands , as trade ties between Vietnam and the European country have been developing rapidly.

According to the Import and Export Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the value of Vietnamese exports to the Netherlands rose by 60 percent to reach 2.15 billion USD in 2011, compared to 1.33 billion USD in 2009.

In the first quarter of 2012, Vietnam posted an export value of 512.85 million USD, a rise of 8.28 percent over the same period last year. The country’s major exports to the Netherlands include footwear, garments, cashew nuts, pepper, coffee, seafood, vegetables, furniture and wooden products.

During this period, 12 out of 23 export categories reached an export value of over 10 million USD, with computers topping the list, then electronics and electronic spare parts, which accounted for 17.7 percent of the total export revenue. They are followed by telephones and spare parts, which make up 12.6 percent and by footwear at 12.08 percent.

According to experts, the Netherlands encourages import activities, creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises.-VNA