Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Dương Hải Hưng (centre) cuts the ribbon to open the Việt Nam stall at the fair. — VNA/VNS Photo

ROME — The Vietnamese Embassy in Italy showcased Việt Nam’s fruits, vegetables and spices at the 40th Macfrut international trade fair in Rimini city in the Emilia Romagna region last week, within the framework of the Việt Nam-Italy Year 2023 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of strategic partnership.

Vietnamese farm produce being displayed includes dragon fruit, pomelo, mangosteen, mango, and pineapple, along with various types of tea, coffee, dried fruits, processed foods, and spices.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Dương Hải Hưng Việt Nam is the world's eighth largest exporter of fruits, accounting for 3.8 per cent of the total fruit exports. Compared to all other Asian countries with similar agricultural strengths, only Việt Nam has a free trade agreement with the European Union (EU), providing a significant advantage if Việt Nam and Italy cooperate and combine their strengths in agricultural production and trade not only in Italy but also in the region and the world.

Việt Nam is not only an important supplier of agricultural products but also a large market with great potential as it has nearly 100 million domestic consumers. The rapid increase of the middle class after decades of high economic growth has led to a growing demand for premium Made-in-Italy products in Việt Nam.

This is the third time Việt Nam has directly introduced signature fruits and spices to Italian businesses and people, in the context of European and Italian consumers showing their growing interest in consuming tropical fruits, especially those that are good for health and have new flavours.

Macfrut is one of the largest annual international trade fairs in Europe for professionals, with about 1,000 booths from over 90 countries, including more than 500 purchasing companies and around 32,500 visitors.

Each year, Europe imports farm produce worth over US$160 billion, and Vietnamese farm produce has become high-value export items that raked in $3.34 billion in 2022. In Italy, fruit is a strategic sector of the agricultural industry, with export earnings of $5.6 billion last year, ranking third in Europe and 10th in the world. The fair provides an excellent platform for Vietnamese businesses to establish relationships with Italian importers and explore new opportunities in the European market. — VNS