Director Đinh Công Thuần of Green Life Co-operative in Hợp Tiến Commune, Kim Bôi District introduces honey produced by the cooperative. The honey is being exported to the UK. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The first batch of honey and pickled pearl onions produced in the northern province of Hòa Bình is on its way to the UK.

The products were shipped to the UK last month by a joint effort from the Hòa Bình Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Agricultural Trade Promotion Centre (under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), and the People’s Committees of Kim Bôi and Yên Thủy districts.

This shipment marks the second export of processed agricultural products from Hoà Bình to the UK and has a total weight of two tonnes and a value exceeding VNĐ300 million (US$11,800). The first export was turmeric starch and honey-soaked peach lemon in July 2023.

This year, the honey was produced by Green Life Cooperative in Hợp Tiến Commune, Kim Bôi District, and the onions by Phú Lai Agricultural Cooperative in Phú Lai Commune, Yên Thủy District.

Both products are considered the specialties of the province and have been granted One Commune – One Product (OCOP) certificates. R.Y.B Joint Stock Company is responsible for delivery.

Before being packaged and shipped, analysis of samples of both products showed that they met the food safety standards required by the EU and the UK.

Hòa Bình Province has leveraged its agricultural potential in the past few years and ramped up activities to promote agricultural exports. In the first nine months of this year, the province exported over 890,000 tonnes of agricultural products, valued at more than VNĐ228 billion (nearly $9 million).

After over three years of implementing the Free Trade Agreement between Việt Nam and the UK and Northern Ireland (UKVFTA), sharp increases in imports from Việt Nam to the UK showed that this European market has become more positive about Vietnamese products.

According to statistics from the General Department of Customs, Việt Nam’s export value to the UK in the first nine months of this year reached $5.6 billion, showing an annual increase of 21 per cent. — VNS