At the online trade exchange programme. — VNA/VNS Photo

An online trade exchange programme between Viet Nam and Thailand on food and building and interior products was held on Wednesday to introduce local products to Thai firms and help domestic producers gain broader access to the market.

The exchange was held by the Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and Thailand’s Central Group.

Addressing the exchange, the Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Thailand Tran Thi Thanh My said this is the fifth time the programme has been held, aiming to facilitate Vietnamese products and businesses sending goods to the Thai market through Central Group’s distribution network.

To ensure its effectiveness, she said, market research was conducted and businesses with products suitable for the Thai market were selected.

Emmanuel Francois Patrick Couronne, Director of Retail Purchasing at the Central Group, said the trade exchange helped the group meet reputable businesses and will lead to bringing more high-quality Vietnamese products to Thai consumers.

Held for the first time in 2016, the trade exchanges have been an effective bridge in sending Vietnamese goods to the Central Group and have opened up many business opportunities for local exporters.

Vietnamese agricultural products such as lychees, dragon fruit, coffee, cashew nuts, and dried fruit have been exported to Thailand and found favour among local consumers.

A programme to promote Vietnamese goods and cuisine, called 'Taste of Vietnam', is to be held in Udon Thani Province in northeastern Thailand on June 24-26, aimed at promoting Vietnamese products and creating opportunities for local suppliers to export goods to the market. — VNS