Delegates at the press briefing to kick off the 8th International Livestock, Dairy, Meat Processing and Aquaculture Exposition in HCM City on June 30. — VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The 8th International Livestock, Dairy, Meat Processing and Aquaculture Exposition will be held next month in HCM City to help firms restore and enhance business connections, and update market information and new technologies after nearly three years of interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ILDEX Vietnam 2022 is expected to attract more than 200 exhibitors from 25 countries and territories, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Thailand, the US, and UK.

A series of activities will be organised during the three days of the exhibition, including workshops that will provide knowledge, solutions and strategies to help businesses grow and thrive, a  direct business matching programme, a Potential Buyer Programme (VIP Buyer), and many other practical activities.

Speaking at a press briefing in HCM City on June 30, Dương Tất Thắng, director of the Livestock Production Department, said: “Despite difficulties last year, the livestock sector achieved relatively high growth, making an important contribution to maintaining the growth rate of the agricultural sector."

“Livestock products not only meet the needs of 100 million people in the domestic market but are also exported to other countries. An open-door policy creates a favourable investment environment for many large enterprises and corporations in the world to invest and develop business in Việt Nam.”

The sector has been applying high technology in the production of breeds, and raising and processing livestock products, which help improve product quality, reduce environmental pollution and save costs.

But the livestock sector is facing many difficulties, including a lack of linkage between production and the market, weak management in production, a heavy reliance on imported feed ingredients, shortcomings involved in the slaughtering and product processing, weaknesses in disease control and food safety management and increasing competition in the world market, according to Thắng.

This requires stake holders in the sector to make more effort to develop linkages between production and consumption, and adopt measures to cut production costs.

“The exhibition will offer industry professionals the chance to learn about new technologies, network and explore business opportunities,” he added.

Suparporn Sookmark, director of Thai Trade Centre in HCM City, said ILDEX was well-known in the industry thanks to its successes before.

“This expo is an excellent platform for business matching, product sourcing, information gathering and market updating on technology, innovation and solutions in the food production, agriculture and livestock industries,” she said.

Organised by Minh Vi Exhibition and Advertisement Services Co., Ltd and VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific Co., Ltd, ILDEX Vietnam will be held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in District 7 from August 3 to 5 and is expected to attract 10,000 visitors from Việt Nam and other countries in the region.

According to the organisers, currently, 95 per cent of the exhibition space has been booked, showing great interest from businesses in the country’s livestock industry.  — VNS