Vietnam showcases farm produce at Macfrut trade fair in Italy

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung (centre) cuts the ribbon to open the Vietnam stall at the fair. (Photo: VNA)

Rome (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy in Italy is showcasing Vietnam’s fruits, vegetables and spices at the 40th Macfrut international trade fair in Rimini city in the Emilia Romagna region from May 3-5, within the framework of the Vietnam-Italy Year 2023 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of strategic partnership.

The event drew the participation of many international partners, with the number of exhibitors increasing by 50% from last year’s edition, from the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Vietnamese farm produce on display include dragon fruit, pomelo, mangosteen, mango, pineapple, along with various types of tea, coffee, dried fruits, processed foods, and spices.

On this occasion, Mayor of Rimini city Jamil Sadegholvaad handed over a letter of support for activities of the Vietnam-Italy Year 2023 to Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung.

At the event (Photo: VNA)

At the event, Ambassador Hung stressed that Vietnam is the world's eighth largest exporter of fruits, accounting for 3.8% of the total fruit exports. Compared to all other Asian countries with similar agricultural strengths, only Vietnam has a free trade agreement with the European Union (EU), providing a significant advantage if Vietnam and Italy cooperate and combine their strengths in agricultural production and trade not only in Italy but also in the region and the world.

Vietnam is not only an important supplier of agricultural products but also a large market with great potential as it has nearly 100 million domestic consumers. The rapid increase of the middle class after decades of high economic growth has led to an growing demand for premium Made-in-Italy products in Vietnam, he said.

It is the third time Vietnam has directly introduced signature fruits and spices to Italian businesses and people, in the context of European and Italian consumers showing their growing interest in consuming tropical fruits, especially those that are good for health and have new flavors.

Macfrut is one of the largest annual international trade fairs in Europe for professionals, with about 1,000 booths from over 90 countries, including more than 500 purchasing companies and around 32,500 visitors. The fair showcases agricultural products, fruits and vegetables, spices and herbs, poultry products, as well as modern machinery and technology related to all stages from cultivation and production to packaging, marketing and distribution. It also serves as a venue for business-to-business meetings, thematic conferences, and networking sessions.

Each year, Europe imports farm produce worth over 160 billion USD, and Vietnamese farm produce have become high-value export items that raked in 3.34 billion USD in 2022. In Italy, fruit is a strategic sector of the agricultural industry, with export earnings of 5.6 billion USD last year, ranking third in Europe and 10th in the world./.