HCM CITY — The HCM City People’s Committee and the HCM City Food and Foodstuff Association (FFA) last Friday signed a co-operation programme to boost the development of the city’s food and foodstuff industry.

Nguyễn Phương Đông, deputy director of the city Department of Industry and Trade, said this co-operation programme is designed with practical activities, such as annually organising four direct dialogues on different topics between city leaders and food and foodstuff enterprises towards resolving difficulties faced by enterprises during their production and trading processes.

In addition, at least two seminars will be held annually to provide enterprises with the latest information about international integration, development trends and other information related to the food and foodstuff processing industry, he said.

In addition, the two sides will join hands to organise at least two trade promotion programmes in the food and foodstuff industry at home and abroad.

Đông said trade promotion activities will not stop at just boosting retail sales of food and foodstuffs, but also target to enhance the connection between the city’s food and foodstuff producers and domestic and foreign distributors to create opportunities for producers to expand their market shares at home and abroad.

The two sides will co-ordinate to establish an information channel to collect feedback from enterprises to solve problems in a timely manner.

Trần Vĩnh Tuyến, deputy chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, said it is very necessary to enhance the role of business associations in the context of economic integration and in line with the city’s orientation to develop a strong business force.

After signing this co-operation programme, the City People’s Committee will continue to study co-operation programmes with other business associations in the city.

Lý Kim Chi, FFA’s chairwoman, said businesses in the industry are facing difficulties and challenges in improving their competitiveness and accessing markets.

The co-operation programme will create a close linkage between the city authorities and businesses via the association so as to timely solve difficulties faced by businesses, she said.

The city is home to more than 1,700 enterprises involved in producing and processing of food and foodstuffs. The food and foodstuff industry is one of the city’s four key industries. — VNS