Organic tomato growing area in Da Lat City. — Photo rauhuucodalat.vn

HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — Many small and medium-sized enterprises have received support from the Centre for Support and Development of Small and Medium sized Enterprises, which was set up by French supermarket chain Big C to help local producers bring their products into the modern trade channel.

Nguyen Phu Tia, a producer of plum wine in Can Tho, said thanks to the centre's support with completing paperwork such as the food safety certificate, printing bar codes on the label, improving product design, and others, his products are now available in many supermarkets, restaurants, and shops in the city.

Pham Thi Thu Cuc, director of Rung Hoa Bach Cuc Co, Ltd, which grows organic tomato, said after working with the centre her products are now sold at many outlets nationwide.

Since being set up last October the centre has helped 22 local suppliers put their products on its shelves.

Speaking at a press conference held to officially launch the centre yesterday, Le Thanh Trung, its SME coordination and development manager, said the centre would also help create stable, long-term outlets for local firms, thus helping boost local production as well as diversify his supermarket's local sourcing.

SMEs face difficulties in expanding their markets, especially in the modern trade channel, because of a lack of understanding of legal procedures, market information, and capital, and unstable product quality and supply, he said.

The centre would help businesses complete legal procedures, improve their production capacity and management, and control product quality to ensure their products meet the requirements of modern retailers, he said.

It would also help them develop new products, he said.

By organising seminars in many provinces and cities like Hue, Nghe An, Nam Dinh, Viet Tri, and Quy Nhon since 2009 to bring together producers and distributors, Big C has signed deals worth more than VND100 billion (US$4.68 million) with over 110 small and medium-sized producers.

The supermarket has 28 outlets in the country while 90 per cent of its suppliers are local SMEs. — VNS