Safe agricultural products market 2018 – A good example of safe food

Food safety and hygiene is an urgent issue of the country today. Safe agricultural products’ market 2018 hosted by Binh Duong met the demand for clean and safe food of the people; it was also an opportunity for safe agricultural production establishments to introduce products and find buyers.

Customers visit, buy products at Safe agricultural products’ market 2018. 

Promoting brand names for agricultural products in the province

To implement Program 26 of Provincial Party Committee on agricultural restructuring towards urban agriculture, high-tech agriculture in association with processing industry and the Scheme on urban agriculture development in south Binh Duong 2016-2020, in recent years, provincial agriculture has made dynamic changes, and achieved many good results. The agricultural production value of the province is increasing; the structure of agricultural economy is shifted to the production of high-valued goods.

According to provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development – the host of 2018 Safe agricultural products’ market (from 3 Nov), the event was to stimulate the agricultural development of the province towards goods production, create a sustainable consuming market, increase incomes of agricultural producers. In addition, this was an event that encouraged the development of safe agricultural production; strengthen the connection between production and consumption of agricultural products; communication, advertisement, trade promotion, introduction of clean and safe agricultural products, chain products to consumers.

Enterprises and cooperatives participated in the market, displayed and sold agricultural products, like vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, hydroponic plants, rice and tea… 80% displayed products at the market were produced by cooperatives and businesses in the province; 100% products were certified as VietGAP, GlobalGAP or met food safety standards, ensuring consumers have good food with clear origins.

According to Organizing Committee, participants of the fair were individuals and organizations producing and trading agricultural and forestry products in the province, and meeting criteria set by the organizers. Namely, small producers committed to producing safe food and not violating the commitment; original products must be certified of VietGAP or safe product; meat must be quarantined; establishments of processed products must meet food safety criteria and sold products must be proclaimed. In addition, all products at the market were for retail, distribution to consumers at reasonable prices, which must be cheaper than market price.

To attract customers

Right after the opening, Safe agricultural products’ market 2018 attracted a large number of visitors. Le Thanh Hung living in Chanh Nghia Ward, Thu Dau Mot City, said: "Coming to the market, my wife and I bought many foods such as fresh vegetables, mushrooms, fish sauce... The most interesting thing was that we could visit and learn hydroponic cultivation".

Le Quoc Hai, Director of Clean Vegetable Company (Thu Dau Mot City), said that at the first high-tech agricultural products ‘market, his company introduced some safe vegetable products. "One hour after the opening, our products were sold out right on the first day of the market. The market was a potential playground for safe food businesses to have the opportunity to introduce products and seek business partners”, Mr. Hai said.

At the booth of Binh Duong clean mushroom produce trade-service cooperative (Ben Cat Township), one hour after the opening, 40kg mushrooms of the cooperative were sold out. A representative of the cooperative said that he was very excited when the number of visitors buying mushrooms was very high. Hopefully in the coming time, the cooperative's products would continue to attract customers.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Safe agricultural products’ market, Pham Van Bong, Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Deputy Head of Provincial Steering Committee for Food Safety, said that with provincial policies encouraging high-tech agricultural production, high-tech agricultural production areas, well-practiced farms of VietGAP, cooperatives growing safe vegetables and many more processing establishments of safe agricultural products had been established in the province. However, finding consuming markets for safe agricultural products and market approach of agricultural producers in the province faced many difficulties. Consumers in the province still feel insecure about buying safe agricultural products, while many clean agricultural products are struggling to find and penetrate into the market. Meanwhile, conventional distribution channels are still confused about unsafe agricultural products, making consumers worried...

Agricultural products’ market is a new business form that helps consumers have access to good agricultural products, safety food, identify the source of foods, and also support organizations, individuals producing and consuming safe agricultural products, contributing to advertise and develop brand name for agricultural products in Binh Duong.