Vietnam wants to bolster agricultural cooperation with Belgium

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan told David Clarinval, Minister for Small Businesses, the Self-Employed, SMEs and Agriculture, Institutional Reform and Democratic Renewal of Belgium that Vietnam hopes to further foster agricultural collaboration with Belgium during their meeting in Brussels on September 9.
Vietnam wants to bolster agricultural cooperation with Belgium ảnh 1An overview of the meeting (Photo: VNA)
Brussels (VNA) – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan told David Clarinval, Minister for Small Businesses, the Self-Employed, SMEs and Agriculture, Institutional Reform and Democratic Renewal of Belgium that Vietnam hopes to further foster agricultural collaboration with Belgium during their meeting in Brussels on September 9.

Noting Vietnam and Belgium have shared fruitful cooperation in agriculture with the formation of agricultural ties to a strategic partnership in 2018, Minister Hoan proposed that the two sides bolster the partnership on the basis of optimising their potential and advantages.

He suggested that the Belgium side create favourable conditions for Vietnamese and Belgian agro-forestry-fisheries products to enter each other market.

Belgium is currently the fifth biggest agro-forestry-fisheries market of Vietnam among EU countries. Minister Hoan expressed his hope that Belgium will continue supporting the development of waterway logistics and cold storage using the Belgian technology in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, thus forming a network of transport for fresh agro-fisheries products from the region to Cai Mep port as well as Belgium's Antwep port and other major ports in the world.

He also asked for Belgium’s support in developing cocoa products to meet Belgium standards, so that Vietnamese cocoa will be attached to the well-known chocolate trademark of the European country.

Hoan affirmed that Vietnam will create favourable conditions for Belgian firms to invest and seek partnership in Vietnam’s agriculture as well as other strong sectors of Belgium such as logistics, saltwater desalination, remote sensing, and food preservation technologies.

Both sides should continue strengthening cooperation in technology research and transfer as well as training collaboration among training facilities and regions, he said, stressing that the two countries should make detail coopeation contents and mechanisms to implement the bilateral memorandum of understanding on food safety signed in October 2018.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development hopes to continue receiving ODA from Belgium to implement strategic cooperation contents with Belgium and boost its development, he said, adding that Vietnam is working hard to deal with illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) with a hope that the European Commission will remove the 'yellow card' on Vietnam's fisheries soon.

For his part, Clarinval showed his wish to work with the Vietnamese side to promote the implementation of the bilateral agricultural strategic partnership, focusing on cooperation in personnel training, technology transfer, private investment encouragement, logistics development serving agricultural value chain.

The Belgian official agreed with Vietnam’s proposals on collaboration in implementing and expanding ODA projects in Vietnam, including that to build a cold warehouse in the Mekong Delta region and develop sustainable rice and cocoa, as well as training cooperation.

He said he hopes Vietnam will continue assisting and creating favourable conditions for Belgium investors in logistics port development serving the export of fresh fruits to European markets at the lower Cai Mep port.

He also highlighted the need to create conditions for Belgium's products with competitive advantage, including cherry and pork, to be present in the Vietnamese market./.
VNA

See more

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Nearly 16 trillion VND raised through January bond auctions

The January auctions saw a strong preference for 10-year and 15-year bonds, representing 80.2% and 14.8% of the total, respectively. Specifically, 10-year bonds raised 12.81 trillion VND, while 15-year bonds garnered 2.36 trillion VND.

Thang Long ferry at Cau Da port in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. (Photo: VNA)

Vung Tau - Con Dao high-speed ferry reoperated

The high-speed ferry service connecting Vung Tau city and Con Dao island in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau and vice versa was resumed on February 7 by Phu Quoc Express JSC after a 5-month suspension.

At the working session between the Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance and the US Embassy over counterfeit Sunview-branded raisins in Hanoi on February 7. (Photo: dms.gov.vn)

Vietnam, US tackle counterfeit Sunview-branded raisins

Statistics showed that since 2024, there have been 27 documented cases involving Sunview raisins, resulting in fines of over 536 million VND (21,440 USD), primarily due to the sale of smuggled goods and products of unclear origin.

The VF3 model manufactured by VinFast is the most popular model in Vietnam's market. ( Photo courtesy of the company)

EVs will no longer be exempt from registration fees

Instead of enjoying a zero percent registration fee, battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) will be required to pay 50% of the fee applicable to internal combustion engine cars with the same seating capacity.

Thuan An Fishing Port (Photo: tuoitrethudo.vn)

Thuan An fishing port opens, boosting Hue’s seafood industry

The second docking area of Thuan An Fishing Port has a minimum cargo handling capacity of 20,000 tonnes per year, and is capable of simultaneously accommodating 500 fishing vessels of at least six metres in length for docking and storm shelter.

Vietnamese prefer buying gold to mark God of Wealth Day (Photo: VNA)

Gold prices up again on God of Wealth Day

Gold prices surged significantly, exceeding the threshold of 90 million VND (3,550 USD) per tael at the opening session of the God of Wealth Day on February 7 (the 10th day of the first lunar month).

Vietnam will complete and develop the national nuclear power infrastructure to support the implementation of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, (Illustrative photo: VNA)

Master plan on atomic energy development, application approved

Efforts will be made to urgently complete and develop the national nuclear power infrastructure to support the implementation of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, while continuing to carry out the national nuclear power development programme.

Rice for export at Thoai Son Foodstuff One-member Co. Ltd. under Loc Troi Group. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam works to expand markets, sustain rice export growth

By mid-January, Vietnam had exported 268,700 tonnes of rice, generating nearly 165.7 million USD, up 38.7% in volume and 23.28% in value year-on-year. To sustain exports, authorities are prioritising trade promotion, with the Ministry of Industry and Trade implementing measures to boost rice exports.