HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam has asked India to help consume its agro-fishery products and fruits as the country's exports are facing difficulties due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in China.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quốc Hưng recently met his Indian counterpart Anup Wadhawan in New Delhi to discuss the matter.

According to the Asia-Africa Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, dragon fruit is the only Vietnamese fruit that has been licensed to be imported into India.

Among aquatic exports, tra fish (pangasius) is one of the few that compete in the Indian market.

Evaluating Vietnamese fruits, Mohit Singla, chairman of the Indian Trade Promotion Council, said Vietnamese dragon fruit was more delicious than dragon fruit from many other countries.

He recommended the country should boost the promotion of this fruit so that all classes of Indian people could consume Vietnamese dragon fruit.

Singla suggested the Vietnamese Government ask for permission to export litchi to India.

To promote bilateral trade, Deputy Minister Hưng asked the Indian Importers Chambers of Commerce and Industry to support trade promotion among Indian businesses and consumers to increase consumption of Vietnamese agro-fishery products, especially dragon fruit and tra fish, to support Vietnamese farmers in the current difficult time.

The deputy minister also asked the Indian Importers Chambers of Commerce and Industry to speak with the government of India to end trade restrictions applied to Vietnamese pepper, cashews and incense.

At the same time, he also asked the Indian side to not use measures to restrict trade so they could reach the target of turnover of US$15 billion soon.

Agreeing with Hưng, his Indian counterpart Anup Wadhawan said apart from dragon fruit or tra fish, Việt Nam could boost exports of many other items to India. — VNS