A Vietnam – European Union (EU) agricultural business forum was held on July 11, on the occasion of an official visit to Vietnam by EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski.
The forum featured the presence of senior officials of the two sides, along with about 50 European businesses specialising in such areas as wine, beverages, meat and meat products, agricultural products, and fruit and vegetables.
This was a good opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to meet with European partners and discuss new cooperation opportunities.
Addressing the forum, Janusz Wojciechowski appreciated the initiative to organise the forum. He said that his trip to Vietnam and Singapore is aimed at promoting cooperation in the agricultural and food trading within the frameworks of signed free trade agreements.
According to him, his current working visit to Vietnam is also intended to facilitate trade exchanges and agreements between European and Vietnamese businesses operating in the agri-food industry.
Speaking at the forum, Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Pham Tan Cong said that the EU is currently the third largest export market of Vietnamese agricultural products with a turnover of about 5.5 billion USD per year, accounting for 15% of Vietnam’s total agricultural export value but only 4% of the EU’s total agricultural import value in 2021.
The figures are still low compared to the export potential of Vietnam as well as the import demand of EU countries, stressed Cong.
He expressed his hope that, through this forum, the EU side will share information and experience, and support Vietnam in building agricultural development policies and models in a green, modern and effective direction as well as in reducing the impacts of climate change on agricultural activities.
The VCCI representative affirmed its active support for EU businesses.
Representatives from Vietnamese State management agencies proposed European investors pay more attention to several dynamic economic zones such as Hung Yen, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and Hai Duong, which are near Hanoi capital city and have good infrastructure and abundant labour force.
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