Market expansion key to boosting farm produce sales

CAN THO – Besides preferential policies, negotiations to expand markets are crucial to step up sales of agricultural products of the Mekong Delta and the rest of the country, said Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, director of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development.

A consumer buys fruits at a supermarket. It is important to seek new markets for local agricultural products - PHOTO: TRUNG CHANH

At a conference on hi-tech agriculture development, held in Tra Vinh Province today, April 26, Tuan said that the Government has attached great importance to the development of markets for local farm produce.

Last year, Vietnam worked with many importing markets, including China and the European Union, to expand markets for local products. As a result, 173 out of 350 requirements of importing markets were relaxed.

As for the Government’s incentives for the sector, Tuan complained about the lack of resources to carry out these policies.

Tran Lam Hong, deputy general director of the Saigon Union of Trading Cooperatives (Saigon Co.op), said that HCMC consumes some 1,500 tons of vegetables and fruits per day. Of this volume, Saigon Co.op supplies some 250 tons.

The market demand is high, so retailers must work directly with farmers and cooperatives. However, retailers are not responsible for the job.

Hong proposed developing vegetable and fruit production and business entities.

Vietnam holds strong potential in agriculture, with half of its farm produce being exported. Last year, the country generated more than US$40 billion from farm produce exports and was one of the top 15 farm produce exporters worldwide.

Vegetables and fruits, seafood and furniture are expected to be the largest export earners of the sector in the coming period.