Over the past time, the system of the Vietnam Trade Office abroad has timely provided information, guidance and support to localities, industry associations, and business communities in trade promotion activities to expand, develop, diversify markets and products, and promote exports, especially of seasonal agricultural products such as litchi and longans.
This information was emphasized by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai at the conference on trade promotion with Vietnam's Trade Office system abroad in May 5 held by the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the afternoon of May 2023 with the theme "Trade promotion of litchi and longan" in the context that many localities in the North are entering the ripe litchi and longan harvest.
Difficult to consume
Reported at the conference, Mr. Tran Quang Tan - Director of Bac Giang Department of Industry and Trade said that in the past time, the locality has focused on investment and application of science and technology, so the quality of Bac Giang lychee in 2023 is the highest ever. Accordingly, the province's lychee production in 2023 is estimated to be over 180.000 tons; lychee harvest time from May 25 to July 5, 30.
This year, the export market of Bac Giang lychee, China continues to be identified as a traditional market, potential markets are the United States, EU, Japan, Korea, Australia, Malaysia; UAE, Singapore, Middle East, Thailand, Hong Kong (China)…
According to Mr. Tan, in order to prepare for this year's lychee crop, Bac Giang province has prepared conditions such as securing capital, electricity, styrofoam boxes, stone blocks, environmental sanitation, preparing warehouses, storage yards for means of transport, weighing points, and concentrated lychee purchasing; ensure security and order, traffic safety and other services…
Mr. Tran Van Hao - Director of Hai Duong Department of Industry and Trade said, currently, Hai Duong province has nearly 9.000 hectares of litchi; in which, early lychee accounts for about 30%, lychee in the main season accounts for 70%. In 2023, the province's litchi is expected to be about 61.000 tons; in which, early litchi is about 31.000 tons; lychee in the main season is about 30.000 tons.
Hai Duong people are selling lychees to purchasing establishments for export. Photo: Tien Vinh/VNA
Most of Hai Duong's lychees are produced according to safe processes, of which 500 hectares of litchi are certified to meet VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, eligible for export to high-end markets. In addition, the whole province of Hai Duong has 203 codes for growing areas for export, and 21 codes for packing establishments for export to other markets; in which China is 13 codes, the rest are the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Thailand.
Notably, Hai Duong's fabrics are beautiful, and the early harvest time starts from May 15 to June 5. The main lychee harvest season starts from June 5 to the end of June 6, concentrating from June 5 to 6, 6.
Mr. Tran Van Cuong - Deputy Director of Hung Yen Department of Industry and Trade informed that, in recent years, trade promotion activities, connecting supply and demand for lychee and longan have been strongly implemented by the locality. Through the organization of trade promotion fairs litchi fruit; organize a series of trade promotion events for caged labels.
In particular, Hung Yen Department of Industry and Trade has issued a plan to organize a conference to connect the export of longan and processed products from longan to the Japanese market in 2023, in order to connect production facilities and enterprises exporting agricultural products to the Japanese market.
However, at the conference, the delegates also pointed out some difficulties with local businesses such as limited ability to approach and negotiate to sign export products; The difficult economic situation of EU countries affects the consumption demand of the market for lychee and longan products from Vietnam, there are still many payment risks in some markets...
Faced with that situation, representatives of localities proposed and sued ministries and branches; in which, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, business associations, and Vietnam's Trade Office in foreign countries need to strengthen support, connect consumption, export, and bring Vietnamese agricultural products to the world.
Proactively support
Longan harvest at farmer household Nguyen Thi Thuong, member of Mien Thiet Longan Cooperative in Ham Tu commune, Khoai Chau district, Hung Yen province. Photo: Vu Sinh/VNA
The United States is a potential market for Vietnamese agricultural products; in which, there is still a lot of room for Vietnamese fruit to expand and develop. In order to access this potential market, Mr. Do Ngoc Hung - Commercial Counselor, Vietnam Trade Office in the US said that there are some obstacles such as geographical distance being too far, leading to long shipping time; there is no US standard irradiation facility located in the North. Vietnam's main competitors are China, Mexico has a lot of experience, wide distribution system, competitive prices, low shipping costs.
In order to remove barriers for Vietnamese agricultural products, the Vietnam Trade Office in the United States has coordinated with relevant agencies at home and abroad to gradually remove difficulties in order to expand the market share of lychees in the US market; in which, advise and propose a mechanism to solve problems related to the participation of Hanoi Irradiation Center in the pre-certification program of the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
In addition, the Vietnam Trade Office in the US also negotiated with APHIS and was allowed to add one more partner who is an enterprise from Bac Giang to the list of Corporator on behalf of the Hanoi Irradiation Center to sign an agreement with APHIS on certification of irradiation facilities exporting lychees to the US.
Similarly, Mr. Le Phu Cuong - Commercial Counselor, Vietnam Trade Office in Malaysia said that in order to expand the export of longan, litchi in particular, and agricultural products in general from Vietnam to Malaysia, businesses need to take measures to preserve products for shipping by sea, reduce costs, and increase competitiveness with similar products in the market.
Mr. Cuong noted, the longan market of Malaysia and Thailand is almost monopolistic, but the market capacity of longan products is very large. This is a remarkable thing for Vietnamese longan exporters.
In addition, the Malaysian Government is promoting the application of Halal certificates with products imported into this market, domestic enterprises should pay attention to this issue. Accordingly, it is necessary to build a brand and promote the product brand, it is necessary to pay attention to positioning fabric and label products in the high-end or mid-market segment to put them into the appropriate distribution system.
According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Quan - Vietnam Trade Office Branch in Nanning (China), localities and businesses need to actively cooperate with import partners in building and promoting the image of their businesses and key products in addition to mastering and meeting the requirements of quarantine and quality of the Chinese market. Actively build a direct communication channel with the Trade Office on the basis of understanding the export needs of local businesses.
Referring to the congestion at border gates in some localities, Mr. Ngoc Son - Deputy Director of the Asia - Africa Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) said that this situation is now relatively stable. The number of vehicles waiting for customs clearance has begun to decrease compared to May 23. The Asia-Africa Market Department will continue to monitor the customs clearance situation at the border gate for timely information to the locality.
However, some gates in Quang Ninh, Cao Bang and Lao Cai on the Chinese side have allowed the import of fruit, businesses can negotiate with partners to move import locations to avoid congestion.
And Mrs. Nguyen Thao Hien - Deputy Director of the European - American Market Department assessed that, due to the geographical distance, Vietnamese goods will face many difficulties when entering this market.
Therefore, businesses need to specifically position the high-end or mid-range segment for fabric and label products to have appropriate promotion and consumption orientation.
Experience shows that with fresh lychee that can be positioned in the high-end segment, packed with 10 fruits/box, consumption will be much more favorable. On the other hand, enterprises need to closely monitor changes in regulations with export products to make appropriate adjustments.
Deputy Minister Do Thang Hai highly appreciated the comments, enthusiastic and proactive support of the Vietnam Trade Office system abroad; in which, the unit coordinated and provided very specific information on trends, market needs, requirements and regulations on export with agricultural products in general and lychee and longan in particular.
This is the basis for localities, associations and enterprises to develop plans and strategies for export, production and business. However, with seasonal products such as lychee and longan, localities, businesses and units need to quickly take measures to ensure efficient consumption and export.
On the side of the authorities, in order to continue to improve the effectiveness of trade promotion, to support the export and consumption of litchi and longan in general and fruit in particular, the Deputy Minister asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to continue to update the situation of agricultural products and fruits when the crop arrives, and regularly discuss with businesses to grasp the demand for export and consumption support.
Particularly for the Vietnam Trade Office abroad, the Deputy Minister suggested that it is necessary to strengthen monitoring and regularly update information related to developments, market information, trade policies, standards and export conditions and policies for each key product, promptly advise the Ministry's leaders to provide orientation and timely support to localities, associations and businesses.
In addition, the Department of Trade Promotion continued to perform the tasks assigned at the previous briefings, taking solutions to remove from the recommendations of businesses and localities; at the same time, promote research on policies and forecasts in order to create favorable conditions and provide maximum support for enterprises in trade promotion and import and export.
VNA
