Bùi Tá Hoàng Vũ, director of the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade, speaks at a meeting held to introduce major activities of the city’s industry and trade sector in Q1 on February 22. — VNS Photo

HCM CITY — This year’s HCM City export forum and trade fair (HCM City Export 2024) will be held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in District 7 from May 8 to 11.

It would help local exporters connect with domestic and foreign partners and importers, Bùi Tá Hoàng Vũ, director of the city Department of Industry and Trade, which will organise the event, told a meeting held to introduce major activities of the industry and trade sector in Q1 on Thursday.

There will be 450 booths, double last year’s number, showcasing farm produce, rubber, plastics, electronics, furniture, handicrafts, food and beverages, textiles and garments, and footwear.

The event will feature activities like an export forum and conference on green growth, using clean raw materials, renewable and new energy, and digital transformation; business matching; and trips to factories and raw material areas.

The organisers plan to scan the entire fair using 3D technology to turn it into a virtual exhibition to promote Vietnamese products.

HCM City Export 2023, the first ever fair, held last year was successful, attracting 9,244 visitors, including 306 foreign delegations from countries and territories such as the US, UK, India, Cambodia, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Russia, Taiwan, and Australia, and seeing many contracts and MoUs signed.

Lê Thị Giàu, chairwoman of Bình Tây Food Co., Ltd, said: “Thanks to participating in the fair last year, we found customers and signed sales contracts.”

Her company has had to expand production to meet the orders, she added.

Positive economic signs

Vũ said a quick survey by the department found that most businesses in the city have got export orders and resumed operations on February 19 after the Lunar New Year holidays, with 90 per cent of workers returning to work.

Many firms in the garment and textile and wood processing industries, the industries hit hardest last year due to lack of export orders, have now got orders until the end of the second quarter, some even until the end of the year.

In January the city’s industrial production increased by 26.9 per cent over the same period last year, and exports by 23.3 per cent, he added.

Lê Đình Hiếu, head of the department’s financial and general planning division, said a number of activities are planned to help local firms connect with buyers, both domestic and foreign.

They include the HCM City Expo, Sourcing Fair of Supporting Industries, Consumption Promotion Fair, and Gift Show, he added. — VNS