Thanh Hoa improves quality of farm produce for export

Hanoi (VNA) – The central province of Thanh Hoa is carrying out various measures to improve the quality of its farm produce to meet requirements of export markets, thus tapping advantages from free trade agreements (FTA) that Vietnam has signed.

According to the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, the FTAs have brought about great opportunities for agricultural products of Vietnam and Thanh Hoa in particular.

At the same time, after fluctuations in export markets due to the COVID-19 pandemic, local businesses have defined orientations in their export activities.

Statistics from the department showed that in the first three months of 2021, Thanh Hoa earned 4.3 million USD from exporting food and farm produce, a rise of 19 percent year on year, along with 21.3 million USD from aquatic products, up 10.4 percent over the same period last year.

The department attributed the growth to the confusion of local exporters amid the complicated development of COVID-19 in the first quarter of 2020, which was solved in the same period this year. However, the growth is a positive sign showing the stability in farm produce export of the province in the context of COVID-19 pandemic’s complicated developments that have forced border gates to limited operations.

However, experts held that in order to meet standards and overcome technical barriers in export markets, Thanh Hoa should make new breakthroughs in production scale and production process, while giving adequate investment in processing activities to enhance farm produce’s values in the market.

A representative from the Import and Export Management Division under the provincial Department of Trade and Industry said that in order to remove difficulties facing local exporters, it has supported them in implementing recommendations from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and authorised agencies in border gates to regulate the shipping of goods to border gates, thus avoiding the overloading situation.

Besides, the division has assisted the firms in conducting trade promotion activities in foreign markets, thus seeking new markets and expanding exports through official channels, said the representative.

The representative held that currently, local farm produce has become competitive enough to reach choosy markets such as Japan, the US and EU countries. With a diversity in weather conditions and terrains, the province has advantages in agricultural production with diverse products and high development potential in export.

However, local exporters pointed out that agricultural production regions in Thanh Hoa have been small in scale with unequal quality of products. At the same time, agricultural production has yet to follow planning, making it difficult for management and infrastructure development. The production crop has yet to be regulated properly, leading to the unstable supply and preventing the application of science and technology, causing the increase in cost and difficulties in quality, food safety and disease management, they said.

Recognising the problems, the province has planned to organise production following market demand, while focusing on ensuring safe production process to enhance competitiveness.

Local businesses are advised to continue coordinating closely together in popularising regulations in origin traceability and labeling as well as in relevant matters to production regions, thus enhancing the quality of products and meeting standards of targeted markets.

In a long term, Thanh Hoa will give directions and guidelines to local farmers and production facilities on how to produce goods in line with the market's demand and conduct production process towards VietGap and safe standards, thus improving competitiveness of their products.

Meanwhile, the province will also implement technical solutions in cultivation to reduce cost, especially by applying technologies in producing, processing and storing products, thus conquering most choosy markets, diversifying markets and enhancing the value and efficiency of production activities./.