French meat producers eye expansion in Vietnam

“Meat product exports to Vietnam are expected to grow faster, as, for the next 10 years, tariffs on those products will gradually decrease to zero percent,” Emmanuelle Pavillon-Grosser, the French consul general in HCMC, said.

France is already the ninth largest meat exporter to Vietnam, but wants to further increase its market share.

The trade deal took effect in August 2020.

The French Association of Butchers and Caterers and Business French in Vietnam are running a campaign to increase sales of meat products with EU sponsorship.

It is expected to go on until 2024, with activities such as store promotion and inviting Vietnamese buyers to see the production process in France.

Emilien Besnard of FICT said the French meat industry has more than 450 products, some of them already popular in Vietnam.

Besides the EU, Vietnam also imports meat from the US, Russia, South Korea, and others, mostly being pork.

Pork imports rose from 33,000 tons in 2018 to 225,000 tons in 2020 before slipping last year to 143,463 tons due to the pandemic.