Wide room for Vietnamese agricultural products to be exported to UK

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam has great opportunities to export rice, fruits and other agricultural products to the UK, one of the world’s 10 largest markets with an annual food import turnover of more than 65 billion USD, heard a recent conference to promote Vietnamese farm produce in the UK.

The event, organised by the Embassy of Vietnam in the UK on September 28 under the theme ‘Exploring tropical specialties’, attracted the participation of representatives from the UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC), South East Asian Trade Facilitation Organisation (SEATFO), businesses in the UK and more than 100 Vietnamese exporters of agricultural products.

The participants discussed the potential, requirements and standards of the UK market for imported agricultural products. They were also introduced to various Vietnamese farm produce.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long said that Vietnam-UK bilateral trade is expected to see remarkable growth after the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) was signed in December 2020.

He stated that bilateral trade in agriculture has great potential for development as Vietnam has an advantage in terms of agricultural products while the UK is a large market for these types of products.

While giving advice to Vietnamese exporters, CEO of UKABC Ian Gibbons said businesses need to carry out thorough market research to ensure their products are suitable and competitive on the import market.

He also stressed the importance of building trust with UK partners through developing long-term and sustainable relationship.

Meanwhile, SEATFO Director John Gavin pointed out that it is important for businesses to ensure their products meet market requirements while providing good customer services and on-time delivery.

British businesses also value partners who uphold environmental protection and participate in social activities, he added./.