The annual event, presided over by the Hanoi Centre for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion (HPA) in tandem with several other agencies under guidance from Hanoi People’s Committee, featured 260 booths and attracted 350 businesses and cooperatives from more than 60 localities throughout the country.

The majority of provinces participated with dedicated displays to show off their products

Taking place at Vincom Mega Mall Trade Centre at Vinhomes Royal City, a premier residential complex in Hanoi, the event had a bigger scale compared to previous editions, encompassing diverse demonstration areas where the booths in the open air carried modern yet traditional design modules distinct to each region. The fair space was divided into regional sections such as Northeast, Southwest, Central Highlands, and the Central Coast.

Of note, 54 localities participated in arranging specific display booth areas where their distinct specialities got exposure to the public. Many items have acquired geographical indicatiors or are recognised as One Commune, One Product (OCOP) items.

Notably, the event also saw the engagement of several embassies and international organisations based in Hanoi presenting their speciality products.

In his opening remark at the event, Nguyen Manh Quyen, Deputy Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee, noted that through the annual series, the fair has seen constant improvements in the format and quality, growing into a prestigious trade promotion event attracting growing engagement from localities throughout the country and receiving a warm welcome from the consumers.

The event, Quyen added, acts as an efficient bridge connecting producers and traders of food and agricultural products to importers, distributors, trade centres, supermarkets, and consumers.

“With Hanoi’s active efforts, support from different management agencies and sectors, localities across the country, and warm response from businesses and people, I am confident the fair will become an important link and efficient promotion channel for the country’s distinct products and provide a significant occasion to present the traditional culture and distinct tourism of each region to domestic and international visitors,” said Quyen.

According to HPA director Nguyen Anh Duong, the agency has been cooperating with leading foreign retailers in Vietnam like AEON, Central Group, and Lotte, as well as other domestic and foreign e-commerce platforms, to connect and select quality local products striving to boost export and bring the products to foreign distribution systems.

The HPA is also supporting firms to enhance competitiveness as well as create better designs and improve quality to match domestic and export market standards.

Bui Duy Quang, deputy director of the HPA, unveiled that this year about half of the OCOP products partaking in the event reach 3-star standards and beyond. In 2023, the target is that all OCOP products joining the event would have at least this standards. Simultaneously, the organiser hopes to invite several foreign distributors from the US, Europe, South Korea, Japan, and Thailand to join the event.