Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Dương Hải Hưng introduces Vietnamese products at the 11th edition of the World Chili Pepper Trade Fair. — VNA/VNS Photo Tường Duy

ROME — Việt Nam is among exhibitors at the 11th edition of the World Chili Pepper Trade Fair (Fiera Campionaria Mondiale del Peperoncino) in the city of Rieti, central Italy from August 24 – 28, introducing not only its best chili pepper products but also other spices, such as pepper, tea, coffee, wood ear, shiitake mushrooms and galangal.

This year, the annual festival features more than 160 booths with about 450 chili pepper varieties from all over the world on display. Various cultural and culinary activities are scheduled on the sidelines of the event, attracting hundreds of thousands chili pepper enthusiasts and foreign visitors.

The fair takes place at the right time, when the global demand for spices is on a rise, Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Dương Hải Hưng said in his remarks at the event’s opening. The EU is now the world’s largest spices market.

Hưng said the event is not only an expo for chili pepper and spices but also a cultural festival, bringing Rieti and Italy closer to the world, including Việt Nam, closer to Italy.

He highlighted agricultural products as Việt Nam’s key export items which brought home close to US$32.3 billion in revenue in the first seven months of 2022, up 12.2 per cent against the same period last year. Việt Nam is emerging as a major spices supplier in the global market, the diplomat said, adding that the country has been the world’s No.1 pepper bean exporter for 18 years.

Việt Nam shipped $4.6 million worth of pepper bean to Italy last year. Its cinnamon and anise products account for some 3 per cent of Italy’s market share.

According to Hưng, Việt Nam is not only a supplier of spices but also a very promising market with a population of nearly 100 million and a fast-growing middle class thanks to decades of robust economic development. Việt Nam boasts strong connectivity with various major markets through 16 free trade agreements which it is signatory to.

Hưng was the only foreign ambassador invited to speak and cut the ribbon at the launching ceremony. — VNS