Seminar seeks to boost Vietnam’s farm produce export to EU

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan speaks at the event (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Industry and Trade co-organised a seminar on promoting the export of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables to the European Union (EU) both online and offline.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu said the export of farm produce to the EU is beginning to gain benefits from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

As there remains room to further boost exports, he asked ambassadors and Vietnamese representative agencies in the EU to continue working closely with ministries, agencies and localities on the issue.

Vietnamese ambassadors and commercial counsellors to Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, the Netherlands and Italy and several EU nations informed the EU’s latest regulations and market demand, opportunities and challenges to Vietnam when exporting to these markets.

They said the EU is paying more attention to importing organic fruits and vegetables meeting food safety and ethical standards.

The Vietnamese exporters proposed relevant ministries and agencies regularly update information about regulations, demand, costs and consumers’ taste in the EU, build a national marketing strategy for several goods of strength, and consider the possibility of establishing associations of farm produce exporters to the EU.

Concluding the event, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan pointed out three biggest barriers to the export of Vietnamese farm produce, including climate change, market fluctuations and changes in consumption trend.

According to him, the Vietnamese agriculture sector should build its trademark based on transparency, responsibility and sustainability as the world is switching to green production and consumption.

He also took the occasion to call on firms to establish alliances and associations to popularise national farm produce trademarks./.