A supermarket in HCM City. The national trade promotion programme has contributed to raise export revenue to US$70.9 billion in the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 14.9 per cent. — Photo baotintuc.com.vn

HCM CITY (Biz Hub)— The Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) and localities would strengthen trade promotion programmes to help local firms expand their markets, a meeting heard yesterday in HCM City.

Bui Thi Thanh An, deputy director of Vietrade, said 28 trade promotion projects were approved this year for the southern region with a total budget of VND9.1 billion (US$428,638).

Many activities, including trade fairs and exhibitions were organised in the first half of the year to support local enterprises to promote their products both in and outside the country, she said.

In addition, 12 business trips were held to help local firms promote farm produce exports in potential markets, including the US, Japan, China, Cambodia, Myanmar and Singapore.

Many foreign business delegations visited HCM City and An Giang, Tien Giang and other provinces to seek business opportunities.

At these exhibitions and fairs and business trips, firms signed contracts, which had helped expand export markets, she said.

In the latter half of the year, exhibitions, trade fairs, business trips, and seminars to connect producers and distributors will be organised so that companies can find outlets for businesses.

Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said that the "Vietnamese give priority to use Vietnamese goods" campaign as well as the "Bringing Vietnamese goods to rural areas" programme will continue to be implemented to help domestic firms expand their distribution in the domestic market.

Viet Nam is expected to conclude three free trade agreements with the EU, South Korea and the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia this year, all of which will open up more opportunities for local producers, he said.

However, Ngo Minh Hung, deputy director of Binh Thuan Province Department of Industry and Trade, said local authorities as well as businesses were still unclear about opportunities and challenges emerging from free trade agreements, saying that agencies should provide more information to them.

The trade promotion programmes should pay more attention to seeking new export markets for agricultural products, he said.

Mai Thi Anh Tuyet, director of An Giang Department of Industry and Trade, suggested that local producers focus more on improving their product quality to enable more Vietnamese goods to penetrate fastidious markets.

Hai said that, besides existing trade promotion centres in Hong Kong, Dubai and Russia, a system of overseas trade promotion centres would be set up in the coming time, not only in Asia but also in the Middle East and America, to help local firms promote their exports.

The national trade promotion programme made positive contributions to exports, he said, adding that export revenue reached US$70.9 billion in the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 14.9 per cent. — VNS