Containers of exports at Sai Gon Port in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vu

HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — Viet Nam's agricultural production has gradually entered the global supply chain, according to the Viet Nam Logistics Institute (VLI).

Speaking at a seminar on improving the supply chain for export products preserved in cold and frozen storages held in HCM City last Friday, Thomas Nguyen, a lecturer at the VLI, said more and more farmers produced products following orders from overseas buyers instead of selling only what they have.

Many farms produce following international standards, he said, adding that they had invested in building cold warehouses right at their farms to preserve their fruits better so as to keep them fresh longer in foreign supermarkets.

Delegates at the seminar said growth in export-import activities as well as an expansion in internal trade had led to increasing demand for logistics services.

Enhancing supply chain quality and management is a must, they said.

A synchronous supply chain will not only bring higher efficiency for production and trading but also contribute to the country's economic growth.

Nguyen Thi Thuy Duong, another VLI's lecturer, said enterprises should have the right awareness about the role of logistics in export competitiveness.

To improve competitiveness, Vietnamese import-export firms should access outsourcing logistics services as well as negotiate with potential logistics services providers to map out a proper transportation plan.

Organised by the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency, the seminar was part of the programme to improve export competitiveness for Viet Nam's small and medium-sized enterprises via a local trade promotion system funded by the Swiss Government.

Fresh fruits, tra (catfish), pepper, tuna, tea, litchi are among sectors that are beneficiaries under the programme, with a focus on consulting export logistics since logistics remained a weakness at most firms in these sectors. — VNS