An exhibition and trade networking event was held in HCM City’s Lê Văn Tám Park for businesses from southern provinces to promote their goods to consumers and distributors. — VNS Photo Việt Dũng

HCM CITY — An exhibition and trade networking event for southern provinces to promote their agriculture products with high export potential has opened at HCM City’s Lê Văn Tám Park.

Around 300 businesses from 18 southern provinces are showcasing high-quality agricultural products for the benefit of end consumers and potential business partners such as retail chains and exporters.

Vũ Bá Phú, head of the Việt Nam Trade Promotion Agency, said the event seeks to connect businesses with foreign trade facilitation organisations to stimulate exports.

Besides, producers and distributors could network with each other and study each other’s markets, he said.

Online B2B meetings were also held between Vietnamese and foreign businesses.

The event, organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and southern provinces as part of a 2022 national programme for trade facilitation, will go on until August 9.

Similar events have been held for northern and central provinces in the last two months.

A business from Bến Tre Province promotes its pomelos and pomelo products. — VNS Photo Việt Dũng

At a conference held to facilitate trade for businesses in the Mekong Delta, Nguyễn Hữu Dũng, director of the Đồng Tháp Department of Industry and Trade, said his province supplies a great deal of agricultural produce to the processing industry every year, including rice, shark catfish and fruits and also produces processed goods such as prawn crackers, rice noodles and lotus tea.

Its products are sold widely across Việt Nam and on e-commerce platforms besides in many foreign markets such as the US, Japan and the EU, he said.

“Đồng Tháp is seeking trade with and investment from domestic and foreign businesses, especially from countries with free trade agreements with Việt Nam.

“The province will create the most conducive investment climate possible.”

Dr Arjen Roem, deputy chairman of Eurocham’s food, agriculture and aquaculture business sector, said the European Union – Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement has been fostering bilateral trade, and “Europe is now one of the largest export markets for Vietnamese agricultural products.”

Top imports to the bloc last year included tropical fruits, nuts and unroasted coffee and tea.

Việt Nam could take advantage of the Russia – Ukraine conflict to increase its market share in the EU, which needs an alternative source of grains and agriculture products to Russia, he said.

There are also export opportunities for wood and wood furniture, iron and steel, and pepper, he said.

Many Vietnamese businesses are still struggling with EU quality, health and origin standards, and also have to compete with strong rivals such as Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, which is why they need to improve their product quality and stay on top of market information, he added.

Pablo Arancibia, commercial representative at Chile’s Trade Office, said Việt Nam has great potential to export to Latin America, especially electronics and agriculture products.

AEON Mall and Central Retail invited Vietnamese businesses to partake in their retail chains spanning Việt Nam and other countries, and apprised them about the requirements and specifications with respect to food safety, packaging and traceability. — VNS