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 saw 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, vegetables and fruits.

This was a good opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to meet and discuss with European partners to seek new cooperation opportunities.

Appreciating the initiative to organise the forum, Janusz Wojciechowski said that his trip to Vietnam and Singapore aims at promoting cooperation in the agricultural and food trading within the frameworks of signed free trade agreements.

According to him, his working visit to Vietnam this time is also intended to facilitate trade in 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 currently, the EU is 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, and in reducing impacts of climate change on agricultural activities.

The VCCI representative affirmed to actively support 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./.