Employees at a seafood plant in Tiền Giang Province processing pangasius for export. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Enhancing trade promotion is among the things the Tiền Giang Province Department of Industry and Trade plans to do this year to achieve the export target of US$5 billion, according to its director.

Lưu Văn Phi said the activities would focus on new markets and those that have been largely untapped, are less affected by inflation, have high growth potential, and digitally grant preferential certificates of origin (C/O), thereby enabling businesses to capitalise on free trade agreements.

His department would continue to disseminate information about domestic and international seminars, forums and exhibitions to be held this year, new markets, regulations in export markets, and free trade agreements to help them tap the opportunities, he said.

In addition, the department would help them participate in promotional activities at home and abroad and orient them in international economic integration to improve their business capacity and build their brands.

It would also help mitigate difficulties and promote exports, especially by key industries with high competitive advantages such as rice, fruits, processed seafood, garments, and footwear, he added.

For exporting key agricultural products, the province has coordinated closely with relevant agencies to complete necessary procedures for granting codes to fruit packaging establishments and fruit growing areas for exporting to China and some other markets.

Nguyễn Văn Mẫn, director of the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said as of January the province had 279 fruit growing areas spanning a total of over 20,000ha with production codes.

The province wants all specialty fruit growing areas to get production codes for export by 2025, thereby facilitating official exports of its famous green-skinned grapefruit, Chợ Gạo dragon fruit, Ngũ Hiệp durian, Vĩnh Kim star apple, and Hoà Lộc mango.

It continues to promote rice production and export.

According to the Department of Industry and Trade, the province’s exports topped $4.6 billion last year, up 13.5 per cent from 2022 and 18.9 per cent higher than the target.

It was a remarkable achievement in the context of the domestic and international economic downturn, which has hit the exports of many sectors.

It has been attributed to the province’s early and comprehensive measures to help businesses overcome difficulties and promote exports, and efforts made by companies themselves to boost exports and innovation to improve their competitiveness. — VNS