In 2016, there were 600 trade promotion programmes organized in southern provinces, including 22 foreign trade and exhibition programmes with turnover of VNĐ300 billion (US$13.33 million), accounting for around 60 per cent of the national turnover. — Photo Co.op Mart

HCM CITY — Trade promotion has become more and more important because it impacts enterprises’ product consumption so trade promotion should be improved, an official said.

“Trade promotion should be done with long-term vision and focus to target customers,” Bùi Huy Sơn, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Trade Promotion Department was quoted as saying in the Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn) newspaper.

“The department will support any locality which can deliver their trade promotion programme for the next three to five years,” he added.

Sơn suggested localities should focus into their key products, such as the Mekong Delta with processed food and agricultural products; or furniture, footwear, garments and textiles in the southeastern region.

“We are building one website to link all trade promotion and market information sources for the whole country and we hope to provide more useful information for localities and enterprises,” he said.

In 2016, there were 600 trade promotion programmes organized in southern provinces, including 22 foreign trade and exhibition programmes with turnover of VNĐ300 billion (US$13.33 million), accounting for around 60 per cent of the national turnover.

“However, trade promotion hasn’t got any innovation. The number of programmes has increased but support for enterprises after promotion is low,” said Bùi Thị Thanh An, head of the Trade Promotion Department’s Office in HCM City..

“Localities have paid more attention to trade promotion with more money spent for activities but it’s not enough for large, high-quality programmes,” she added.

She revealed that most of provincial enterprises have small and medium sizes and they have limitations in finances, management, market knowledge and trade promotion participation.

“Poor-management in trade promotion hasn’t created good image for Vietnamese products when they are sold abroad. Some low quality products also appeared in Vietnamese trade promotion programmes,” she said.

“Market information for enterprises is not updated and information demand and supply for trade promotion haven’t met with each other,” Nguyễn Khánh Tùng, director of Cần Thơ Trade, Investment Promotion and Exhibition Centre, said.

Current information given by provincial trade promotion centres is inefficient but information that enterprises receive is limited.

“Small expenditure on market research and the limited capacity of provincial trade promotion centres are reasons for the problem,” Tùng added.

No professional analysis nor links with trade partners were some of the reasons that local enterprises could not work with provincial trade promotion centres.

To improve the situation, trade promotion centres should carefully study markets.

“Trade promotion centres should contact and introduce several potential local partners for enterprises to contact in advance,” Nguyễn Công Toại, director of Cần Thơ’s Industry and Trade Department, said.

“Trade promotion centres should work with enterprises to check the quality of products and the opportunities of enterprises before carrying out programmes,” he added.

Toại suggested that more responsibility should be given to commercial counselors. — VNS