Improving quality and diversity of products as well as implementing commitments on food safety and traceability are key to make inroad into the European market, experts said at a forum in Hanoi on September 19.

Vice Chairman of the VCCI Hoang Quang Phong speaks
at the opening ceremony 

The event was co-organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham), and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

 Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the VCCI Hoang Quang Phong said Vietnam’s agriculture sector has seen remarkable development in recent years with the total export turnover reaching 40 billion USD thanks to joint efforts of farmers, businesses, investors, State management agencies, and international organisations.

 The free trade agreement recently signed between Vietnam and the European Union (EU) is expected to present both opportunities and challenges for Vietnamese firms, which requires them to exert more efforts to optimise opportunities and overcome barriers in order to maintain growth and boost export turnover, he said.

 He urged businesses to improve the quality of products and seriously follow international practices and commitments in the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

 Meanwhile, Vice-Chair of EuroCham Ywert Visser said the EU has high standards for imported food, so it is essential for European businesses and Vietnamese producers to work together to develop a world’s leading agriculture in Vietnam with safe and certified products.

 He hoped the forum will help strengthen the relations between Vietnamese and European business communities, thus unlocking all the potential of the EVFTA.

 At the forum, participants discussed policies for rural development and agriculture and evaluated the export of Vietnamese agricultural products to the EU after the signing of the EVFTA.

 They also made assessments on the development potential of the agriculture sector as well as the prospects of applying digital technology towards sustainable agricultural development.

 European exporters, buyers and businesses shared experience in promoting the digitalisation of agriculture and proposed advanced solutions to improve the production capacity and the quality of Vietnamese farm produce.