Ways sought to boost honey exports to EU

HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam has been allowed to export honey to the European Union (EU) since March 2013, but its shipments to the market account for a small proportion of the country’s total honey exports.

The information was heard at a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on November 1 where participants discussed ways to maintain and expand markets for Vietnamese honey in the EU.

The seminar was hosted by the Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (SPS Vietnam) with the assistance of the European Trade Policy and Investment Support Project (EU-MUTRAP).

By September 15, Vietnam exported around 29,000 tonnes of honey, of which only 1,469 tonnes was shipped to the EU.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has carried out numerous restructuring programmes in order to improve the quality and value of agricultural products.

However, to help honey gain a firm foothold in the EU market, it is necessary to improve breeding, preservation and packing processes, participants said.

They asked enterprises to raise awareness about promoting their products and improving Vietnamese honey brands.

Dinh Quyet Tam, Vice President of the Vietnam Beekeepers’ Association, proposed Vietnam solve quality challenges in honey production and processing, including moisture, yeast, feed residue and honey colour.

He advised enterprises and exporters to grasp market trends to meet European consumers’ taste.-VNA