OVs asked to bring Vietnamese farm produce to global value chain

Litchi exported to the EU (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 15 evening held an online forum connecting Vietnamese entrepreneurs abroad so as to promote trade and investment in the agricultural sector.

This was the first forum the MARD has been organised to connect Vietnamese expats around the world after the Lunar New Year holiday.

Speaking at the event, MARD Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said that Vietnamese agro-forestry-fishery products have been shipped to over 190 countries and territories. Last year, despite serious impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the export turnover reached 48.6 billion VND, with the trade surplus hitting 6.44 billion USD.

He appreciated overseas Vietnamese (OV)’s contributions to introducing the country’s farm produce to international friends as well as bringing foreign investment to the homeland.

Delegates to the online forum (Photo: VNA)

Sharing the same view, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu said that many OVs have invested back in the homeland, thus helping develop hi-tech products in the agricultural sector and contributing to increasing productivity and quality of products and generating more jobs.

The ministry will continue stepping up the economic diplomacy, and coordinating with the MARD, localities and agencies to boost the export of farm produce to the world.

Participating OVs stated that in the context of numerous enterprises affected by the pandemic, the State should issue mechanisms to reduce tax and costs for investors in the field, as well as policies to better support exporters./.

VNA