The 2019 Viet Nam International Furniture and Home Accessories Fair (VIFA-EXPO 2019) opened yesterday at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in HCM City, with the participation of 514 local and international exhibitors.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyen Quoc Khanh, chairman of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCM City (HAWA), one of the organisers, said the number of exhibitors this year was higher than last year.

The expo has 2,420 booths with a total display area of 35,000sq.m, an increase of 23 per cent over last year.

The exhibitors are from many countries and territories that have strong wooden industries and supporting industries such as Taiwan, Singapore, the US, Canada, China, France, India, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Indonesia, Switzerland, and Thailand, Khanh said.

Local exhibitors account for 50 per cent of all exhibitors and 70 per cent of display areas.

Organised by the city’s Department of Industry and Trade, HAWA, and HAWA Corporation, the fair displays a wide range of indoor and outdoor furniture, handicrafts, and interior furnishing and accessories, among other products.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said the fair gave opportunities to international and local firms to introduce their products and services and promote their brands as well as enhance co-operation in production and distribution.

The fair also helps enterprises learn about the latest market trends and customer demand so they improve their product quality and designs, he said.

“The fair is an important trade promotion channel, creating opportunities for Vietnamese woodworking firms to seek business opportunities and expand their export markets.”

The event also includes three seminars titled “Market Requirements and Opportunities in Europe and the US”, “Engineered Wood Products in the Furniture Industry”, and “Applying Lean Manufacturing and Automation to Improve Productivity-Experience Sharing from China”.

At the opening ceremony, HAWA announced the winners of its Hoa Mai Competition for furniture design for 2018-19.

The fair, which will end on March 9, is expected to receive about 5,000 international visitors.

According to HAWA, last year Viet Nam’s exports of wood and forestry products were worth US$9.38 billion, up 16.8 per cent from the previous year.

The sector is on course to achieve its export target of $11 billion set by the Government. — VNS