FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu (left) views agricultural products on display at Agritrade. VNS Photo Tố Như

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s agricultural specialties not only have attractive packaging designs, but also convey the local cultural identity, noted Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Qu Dongyu.

The Director-General and other delegates from FAO visited the Agricultural Trade Promotion Centre (Agritrade) to explore and survey various ecological and organic agricultural products from Việt Nam’s agricultural sector on February 6.

Regarding the rice industry, he noted that Vietnamese grain is increasingly favoured in the international market due to its stable quality, fragrant aroma and distinctive stickiness.

According to him, Vietnamese and Chinese rice do not compete directly but rather complement each other, together reinforcing the role of the staple as a distinctive cultural element of Asia, catering to diverse consumer needs.

Particularly impressed with the 5-star OCOP products, he suggested FAO Deputy Director-General Godfrey Magwenzi and FAO Representative in Việt Nam Remi Nono Womdim organise a delegation of African businesses to visit Việt Nam to learn about local product development models.

The organisation is ready to fund this initiative, he added.

After six years returning to Việt Nam, he congratulated the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for making significant progress and praised the strategy of transitioning from traditional agricultural production models to developing an ecosystem for Việt Nam’s key agricultural sectors.

As the agricultural processing chain has become more professional, the FAO leader recommended that Vietnamese producers enhance environmental management to ensure resource preservation while increasing production. Sustainable production is a key factor in convincing global consumers.

Director of Agritrade said Việt Nam Nguyễn Minh Tiến, has developed over 15,500 products since the launch of OCOP (One Commune One Product) Programme since 2018.

“We hope to promote Vietnam's OCOP products to the world as ambassadors of the cultural identity of different regions in Việt Nam,” he noted.

According to Tiến, Agritrade has over 20 years of experience in promoting Vietnamese agricultural products to international markets.

The Centre has organised numerous trade fairs, exhibitions and conferences to connect producers with domestic distribution entities. It also focuses on providing training and capacity-building support for cooperatives and OCOP participants in developing and promoting products on e-commerce platforms and social media. VNS