The Ministry of Industry and Trade hosts an online trade conference to promote Vietnamese agriculture products on June 30. — Photo thuonghieusanpham.vn

The Viet Nam Trade Office in Japan and the Tokyo SME Support Center will host an online trade conference to promote Vietnamese agriculture products on June 30.

The move is part of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s series of online trade events seeking and expanding markets for domestic agricultural and food products.

The conference is a chance for enterprises which are exporting agricultural products, food and other consumer and health products to sell their products and connect with Japanese importers online.

In 2019, exports of agricultural and aquatic products to Japan reached US$1.81 billion, up 3.2 per cent compared to 2018. Of which, the largest export portion was from fishery products with $1.46 billion, up 5.8 per cent, vegetables and fruits reached $122.3 million, an increase of 28 per cent from 2018.

According to the representative of MoIT, Viet Nam's agricultural and food industry has seen prosperous development, adding: “The country is becoming a centre to supply quality and diversified agricultural products and food to the world.”

He also said: “Promoting exports of agricultural products and foodstuffs together with improving processing capacity, bringing local agricultural products and food brands not only to Japan but also to the world and help to affirm the position of Vietnamese agricultural products in global value chains and developing competitiveness in the context of more opened agricultural markets.”

As Viet Nam and Japan are both members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), after the agreement came into effect last year, Japan eliminated import duties on some key agricultural products of Viet Nam including coffee, pepper, cashews and other spices; a number of fruits and vegetables as well as processed and canned fruit products.

MoIT said: “It is a favourable condition and also an opportunity to promote cooperation in potential areas, increase the import and export turnover of goods between the two countries, enhance cooperation investment, technology transfer and cooperation, exchange experience and cooperate in vocational training for agricultural workers between Viet Nam and Japan.”

MoIT said Japan also has a great demand for medical products in the context of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding: “The current 200 enterprises producing medical equipment relating to pandemic prevention and control, such as masks, medical gloves, medical goggles and epidemic prevention clothes can take the chance to serve the market.”

In 2019, Viet Nam's total import-export turnover with Japan reached $39.9 billion, up 5.4 per cent compared to 2018. Of which, the local export to Japan reached $20.4 billion, up 8.4 per cent from 2018. — VNS