HCM CITY — More than 200 local and foreign companies are displaying their products at the 17^th International Agriculture Trade Fair, which opened in HCM City yesterday.

The products include regional agricultural specialties, safe foods and the latest equipment and technologies used in food preservation and processing and agricultural production.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Đào Văn Hồ, director of the Việt Nam Trade Promotion Centre for Agriculture, said AgroViet 2017 seeks to enable organisations and individuals to market their agro-forestry, fisheries and handicraft products and introduce new agricultural technologies.

It also offers provinces and cities the opportunity to promote their products, potentials and strengths and solicit investment in agriculture, Hồ, who is also the head of the fair organising committee, said.

Despite difficulties such as unfavourable weather and market volatility, the agricultural sector has achieved good growth in recent years.

Việt Nam earned US$23.7 billion from agro-forestry and fisheries exports in the first eight months of the year, a year-on-year increase of 13.5 per cent, he said.

With positive signals from agro-forestry and fisheries, the sector is expected to enjoy a 3.05 per cent growth rate this year compared to 1.36 per cent last year.

Besides severe climate change, poor linkages between production and consumption and limited competitiveness are among the challenges faced by the agricultural sector, he said.

In this context, finding steady markets for agricultural produce and developing linkages between producers and distributors and consumers would be top priorities for Việt Nam’s agricultural sector to overcome the difficulties and develop sustainably, he said.

The fair would be a bridge between producers and consumers and help promote the image and competitiveness of the country’s agro-forestry and fisheries products in both the domestic and international markets, he said.

The event, on at the Phú Thọ Indoor Stadium in District 11 until September 24, is organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. — VNS