Hanoi (VNA) – Türkiye is emerging as a promising market for Vietnamese products, particularly food, beverages and agricultural goods, but technical and trade barriers remain for businesses seeking to expand their market share, heard a seminar organised by the Trade and Investment Promotion Support Centre under the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) on July 21.

In his opening remarks, centre director Ta Manh Cuong said Türkiye is increasingly positioning itself as a strategic transit hub linking Asia, Europe and Africa amid growing volatility in global trade.

According to the official, trade between Vietnam and Türkiye reached 1.39 billion USD in the first six months of 2026, with Vietnam’s exports rising 32% year-on-year.

Cuong said Türkiye’s target of lifting total exports of goods and services to more than 400 billion USD in 2026 could create additional opportunities for Vietnamese agricultural products, food and beverages.

He noted that Vietnam’s food and beverage industry has made strong progress in improving raw material quality and applying deep-processing technologies. The country remains one of the world’s leading exporters of agricultural and food products.

Exports of coffee, cashew nuts, rice, spices and pepper reached 950.2 million USD in the January-June period, up 12.1% from a year earlier, while increasingly meeting international food safety standards.

However, Cuong cautioned that businesses aiming for deeper access to the Turkish market must overcome barriers related to phytosanitary requirements, customs procedures and Halal certification for products serving Muslim consumers.

International logistics costs, maritime freight rates and payment methods also require careful consideration, he added.

He stated that the seminar provided a platform for regulators, the Vietnam Trade Office in Türkiye, associations, experts and businesses to share market information and propose solutions to difficulties facing exporters.

Vietrade will continue supporting enterprises through market information services, survey missions, business matching activities and training programmes designed to help companies meet international standards, he said.

Under the 2026 National Trade Promotion Programme, the agency will organise a trade mission to Türkiye and Spain from August 25 to September 3, enabling Vietnamese firms to survey the market and connect directly with potential partners.

Nguyen Viet Hang, Trade Counsellor and head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Türkiye, updated participants on consumer trends, import demand for food and beverages, and new trade policies in the Turkish market.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Dinh Cong Hoang of the Institute for South Asian, West Asian and African Studies under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences analysed export potential for Vietnamese enterprises in agricultural products, seafood, processed foods and beverages, while recommending suitable distribution channels.

From the business perspective, Doan The Hop, director of VIETTURK Co. Ltd., shared practical experience in trading with Turkish partners, including business culture and key considerations in import-export operations.

Organisers said they expect the seminar to help Vietnamese enterprises gain a clearer understanding of Türkiye’s market requirements and develop more effective strategies to expand exports of food, beverages and other competitive agricultural products in the coming period./.