Argentina does not only want to boost exports of agricultural products to Viet Nam but also wants to buy more Vietnamese products, an agriculture official from that country has said.

Rosario Martearena, undersecretary, agricultural markets, in the Ministry of Agriculture, is leading a trade mission comprising 11 companies selling animal feed, soybean, aquatic products, beef, etc. to HCM City and Ha Noi to explore trade opportunities.

Speaking at a business matching event in HCM City yesterday, she said Argentina and Viet Nam have a very good partnership, especially in trade, as shown by their rising trade in recent years.

Last year Viet Nam became only the fourth country import more than US$2.5 billion worth of products from Argentina.

Of Argentina’s exports to Viet Nam, soybean meal accounted for nearly 59 per cent, maize for 29 per cent, and wheat for 5 per cent.

She said through her visit Argentina hopes to diversify its exports to Viet Nam by also shipping beef, goat meat, pork and aquatic products.

“I am also working to open more market opportunities for Viet Nam. Argentina is very interested in Vietnamese fruits and garments and textiles,” she said.

Nearly half of the Argentinian companies represented in her delegation have done business with Viet Nam and so already know the market and about businesses here, she said.

“The Vietnamese embassy in Argentina is very supportive in providing us with market information.

“They have organised Viet Nam Day to present Vietnamese products and brought Vietnamese sellers there to introduce a wide range of products, not only in the agricultural sector but also in the industrial sector.”

Ho Xuan Lam, deputy director of the HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre, said his centre and the city have organised many trade promotion activities including business seminars and B2B events to acquaint local companies with the Argentinian market and solicit investment from Argentinian businesses.

Argentina is now one of Viet Nam’s most important trade partner in Latin America.

Bilateral trade topped $2.9 billion last year and is expected to rise to $3.5 billion this year.

Viet Nam mainly exports footwear, textiles, rubber, electronic parts, and plastic products and imports soybeans, soybean oil, maize, wheat, cattle feed and drugs.

Next year Viet Nam and Argentina will celebrate 45 years of diplomatic ties, which would be an important milestone encouraging the two sides to further strengthen co-operation, he said.

There is still a lot of untapped potential in trade for the two countries to exploit, he added. —VNS