Thai retail chain to double exports of Vietnamese agricultural products

Customers enter an MM Mega Market mall in Hoang Mai District, Hanoi. Photo courtesy of MM Mega Market Vietnam.

MM Mega Market Vietnam will double its monthly export of Vietnamese agricultural products to Thailand from 100 to 200 tons.

Under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) MMVN signed with the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Wednesday, the Thai retailer would increase the distribution of Vietnamese goods in Thailand as well as boost their export to other countries like Singapore.

"We will work closely with farmers to ensure that products for export will be processed correctly and meet the highest quality and safety standards," said Phidsanu Pongwatana, General Director of MMVN.

MMVN distributes Vietnamese goods in Thailand on the retail network of its sister chain Big C, both owned by Thai food and beverage giant TCC Holdings. Goods typically exported to Big C outlets in Thailand include frozen pangasius, cuttlefish, grapefruit, dragon fruit.

In the MOU, the Thai retail chain also pledged to ensure that Vietnamese goods make up at least 90 percent of product codes at its outlets in Vietnam.

MMVN has already signed contracts with farmers to ensure supply of Vietnamese goods. These include supply contracts for vegetables from the Central Highlands town of Da Lat, pork from southern Dong Nai province, and fruits from southern Ben Tre province, Pongwatana said.

MMVN opened its first store in Ho Chi Minh City in 2002. Now the chain has 19 wholesale outlets across the country and employs around 3,000 staff.

Vietnam exported $2.3 billion worth of fruits and vegetables in the first seven months of this year, down 0.8 percent year-on-year, according Ministry of Industry and Trade data.