The programme will run from 2013 to 2016 and will benefit potential exporters of coffee, tea, cocoa, cashews, honey and spices..— File Photo

Ha Noi (Biz Hub)— A signing ceremony for a 1.5 million euro (U$S2 million) export promotion programme for Viet Nam's food processing industry took place on Wednesday in Ha Noi, with the goal of improving export competitiveness and creating a favorable business environment for Vietnamese food processors.

Joop Scheffers, Ambassador of the Netherlands in Viet Nam, said traditional Vietnamese commodities such as rice, coffee and pepper had successfully penetrated world markets.

However, entering the European market was a more significant challenge due to the increasing demand for products with sustainable organic farming or Fairtrade certification (Fairtrade is a product certification system that allows people to identify products that meet agreed environmental, labour and developmental standards).

Do Thang Hai, director of the Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said the programme would help make high added value products more marketable and improve their quality so they met export requirements.

Of the programme's budget, 1 million euros (US$1.3 million) came from the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI) and the remainder came from Viet Nam, including the cost of participating in annual food exhibitions in Europe.

The programme will run from 2013 to 2016 and will benefit potential exporters of coffee, tea, cocoa, cashews, honey and spices. Through the programme, CBI will help Vietnamese partners organise an international food processing fair in late 2014. — VNS