Garments and textiles, computers, electronic products and spare parts, machineries, plastic products, footwear and leather were major earners in Viet Nam last year. — VNA/VNS Photo Tran Viet

HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — Vietnamese firms were instructed to export agro-fishery products to Finnish and North European markets at a conference in HCM City on Monday.

According to Tran Viet Cuong, Deputy Head of the Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the agro-fishery sector's export value depends more on volume than price.

The majority of Vietnamese agricultural enterprises are small. Under-10-employee firms account for 44 per cent of the industry while over-300-employee businesses constitute only 3.47 per cent, Cuong noted, adding that 82 per cent of companies have less than VND20 billion (US$926,000) in capital.

He said that push to increase Vietnamese agro-fishery exports to Finland and Northern Europe, supported by the Fund for Local Cooperation through the Finnish Embassy in Viet Nam, would play an important role in expanding the sector's market.

The project would give technical assistance and market information to Vietnamese enterprises, enabling them to reach their partners more easily, he said.

Agro-fishery exporters across the nation would benefit from the project, especially those in Ha Noi, HCM City and Mekong Delta localities, he said.

During the conference, Vietnamese and foreign experts provided businesses with basic information and country specific guidelines for exporting aquatic products and fruit to the target markets.

Vietnamese firms were offered other forms of support, such as the Finnpartnership Business Connectivity Programme, which will sponsor Vietnamese firms trying to expand operations and develop the capacity to meet international commercial practice requirements.

Trade between Viet Nam and Finland was over $260 million last year, a 15 per cent rise from the previous year, with Vietnamese exports valuing at more than $100 million.

Garments and textiles, computers, electronic products and spare parts, machineries, plastic products, footwear and leather were major earners in Viet Nam last year.

The country imported electronic products and spare parts, machineries, equipment, paper, chemicals and steel from Finland.

In March of this year, Finland had 10 ongoing projects in Viet Nam with a total investment of $235 million, making it the 29th largest investor in Viet Nam. — VNS