Boosting sustainable agricultural exports

A rice packaging line at Tân Long Factory in the southern province of Tiền Giang. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Trí

HÀ NỘI — To continue promoting and improving agricultural exports like rice, fruit and vegetables in a sustainable manner, businesses must access information and take full advantage of incentives from free trade agreements (FTAs).

Global demand for imported rice, vegetables and fruits is forecast to grow in the near future due to supply disruptions in many countries.

Meanwhile Việt Nam is continuing to negotiate, sign and upgrade FTAs with partners in potential markets, creating favourable conditions for businesses to diversify markets, supply chains and export products.

These factors will have a strong impact on the country’s rice, fruit and vegetable trade activities in the next few years.

In order to streamline sustainable rice, fruit and vegetable export activities and ensure national food security, the Tài Chính Doanh Nghiệp (Corporate Finance) Magazine reports that Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên asked associations to focus on supporting businesses in accessing information about the requirements of each market and taking full advantage of incentives from FTAs. He also asked that associations support businesses in effectively responding to lawsuits and commercial disputes.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) would continue to promote restructuring of the rice, fruit and vegetable industries towards improving quality and efficiency, while at the same time providing accurate information on agricultural market developments as well as guidance and recommendations for localities, businesses, associations and producers.

MARD would also coordinate with the MoIT and relevant ministries and branches to monitor, negotiate and remove technical and plant quarantine barriers put in place by importing countries.

It would proactively negotiate and sign agreements on plant quarantines and technical regulations on paddy and rice quality to create favourable conditions for export businesses.

“Units of the Ministry of Industry and Trade continue to support businesses in promoting trade promotion activities and branding to develop agricultural product markets,” stated Diên.

Nguyễn Thanh Bình, Chairman of the Việt Nam Vegetable and Fruit Association, agreed, saying that authorities needed to coordinate with localities and associations to do a good job with inspection and supervision, especially of harvested products. He said authorities also needed to manage traders well and promote official export negotiations to improve exports, particularly for avocados and fresh coconuts.

In addition to these issues, Nguyễn Ngọc Nam, Chairman of the Việt Nam Food Association, also pointed out a number of other problems, such as businesses owing farmers money for rice or rice exporting businesses competing unfairly in price.

Experts said that the State needed to strengthen businesses by building and promoting domestic and international brands as well as promulgating policies to support firms participating in the global agricultural value chain. This would help contribute to building a good reputation for Vietnamese agricultural products.

At the same time, strengthening the role of industry associations would be necessary to protect the interests of businesses, economic organisations and farmer households producing and trading agricultural products for export.

Solutions to guide and support industry associations and businesses in protecting intellectual property rights related to exported agricultural products were also needed. — VNS