Impressive steps to conquer

With its potential and local advantages, along with a focus on developing key specialty products, Thanh Hoa province has implemented numerous solutions and developed projects to promote key products, unique products, and products with local advantages over the years. This has contributed to the gradual restructuring of the economy , creating jobs, increasing income, and playing a significant role in poverty reduction and economic growth.

Sock production for export at the High-End Sock and Underwear Factory (belonging to Jasan Vietnam Co., Ltd.), Dinh Lien commune (Yen Dinh district). Photo: Khanh Phuong

Establishing Vietnamese brands in the international market.

Pioneering in building a supply chain from production to processing of agricultural products, Lam Son Sugar Corporation (Lasuco) has continuously developed, becoming a partner with many large enterprises in the international market, contributing positively to the development of the province's agricultural sector. Specifically, Lasuco's sugar products have achieved Halal certification – a mandatory certification for exporting goods to Muslim countries, which are a demanding but potentially lucrative market accounting for 1/4 of the world's population. To date, Lasuco's sugar products exported to this market account for 40% of its total export volume, with rock sugar alone reaching approximately 30 tons per month. Notably, since 2020, after launching green nutritional products such as: Ojita high-protein brown rice milk, Ojita brown rice and red bean milk, and sugarcane cell nutrient drink.

Mitaji; MiATA fresh sugarcane juice with lime flavor..., Lasuco's international market is expanding. Currently, many businesses in countries such as Japan, South Korea, Kazakhstan, the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands have signed cooperation agreements with the company. Lasuco's export revenue in recent years has reached approximately 200 billion VND per year.

In the structure of industrial export goods, along with traditional products such as cement, stone, wood chips, sugar, tobacco, seafood, garments, footwear, etc., the market has begun to recognize deeply processed products with high added value such as steel, beer, granular sulfur, benzene, p-xylene...

As one of the businesses that has made significant contributions to the province's export turnover, Hanoi Beer - Thanh Hoa Joint Stock Company has continuously innovated, improved product quality, expanded export markets, and gradually reached demanding markets over the years. For example, from the end of 2023 to the present, the company has successfully exported many shipments of Thabrew canned beer to the Russian Federation. Mr. Nguyen Kien Cuong, Director of Hanoi Beer - Thanh Hoa Joint Stock Company, said: The successful export of Thabrew canned beer shipments is thanks to the company's investment in modern technology and the application of advanced scientific advancements in the production process. At the same time, the product is produced with a unique flavor from a combination of hops and barley malt imported directly from Europe. International standards such as ISO 9000 (international standard for quality management and quality assurance), ISO 14000 (standard for environmental management), and ISO 22000 (standard for food safety management) have been fully implemented by the company, meeting the stringent regulations of many demanding markets. Currently, a Russian trading partner has signed an exclusive distribution contract for two canned beer product lines, Thanh Hoa and Thabrew, with a production volume of 1 container per month in 2024, and this volume will double from 2025 onwards.

Along with the Russian market, the company is also promoting the export of its products to the American market. Besides applying international standards to improve product quality, Hanoi - Thanh Hoa Beer Joint Stock Company is also actively developing many trade promotion and advertising programs, contributing to expanding export markets and marking an important step in maintaining its market share and bringing the Thanh Hoa beer brand and Thabrew canned beer to the world.

A significant achievement for Thanh Hoa province's agricultural export sector in recent times, recognized by the market, is the collaboration between Ho Guom - Song Am High-Tech Agriculture Co., Ltd. and the Institute of Agricultural Genetics (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) in selecting and experimentally cultivating seedless lychee varieties in Ngoc Lac district, covering approximately 30 hectares in Nguyet An commune, following VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards. This seedless lychee variety has been highly appreciated for its quality and has been exported to Japan and the United Kingdom. This demonstrates the remarkable progress of Thanh Hoa province's agricultural production and export businesses, meeting the quality standards and GlobalGAP production process requirements.

Build confidence in potential and advantages.

Currently, Thanh Hoa province has 212 businesses participating in exports to 53 markets with 55 types of goods. The structure of export goods is gradually improving towards deep processing and value enhancement. The province's export strengths include textiles, footwear, industrial products, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and minerals. Among these, 36 businesses export agricultural products, including: 6 businesses specializing in seafood exports, 2 businesses exporting cassava starch, 4 businesses exporting fruits and vegetables, 4 businesses exporting sedge mats, boxes, and trays, 2 businesses exporting livestock meat, and 18 businesses exporting forestry products. Main export items include: cassava starch, canned cucumbers, canned pineapples, fish meal, frozen clams, surimi fish cakes, etc. Along with this, the protection and branding of these products are also receiving attention from relevant departments, agencies, and localities. Accordingly, as of early August 2024, the province had over 400 protection certificates granted to businesses and establishments, including trademark registrations, geographical indications, industrial designs, and invention solutions. In addition, dozens of products received collective trademark certifications. Among these, four products received geographical indication certifications linked to local place names: Hau Loc shrimp paste, Nga Son sedge, Tho Xuan Luận Văn pomelo, and Thuong Xuan cinnamon; 23 products were granted intellectual property rights, such as Do Xuyen - Ba Lang fish sauce, Khuc Phu fish sauce, Hong Do silk, Truong Giang conical hats, Tu Tru thorny cakes, Lang Chanh longan candy, Phu Quang sticky rice cake, Ha Yen shrimp paste, and Lang Ai soy sauce...; and hundreds of products from agricultural, forestry, and aquatic product processing businesses received trademark certifications.

Workers at Hanoi Beer - Thanh Hoa Joint Stock Company on the production line for Thabrew canned beer.

To enable Thanh Hoa's key products to conquer demanding markets and significantly contribute to achieving the province's socio-economic development goals, the Provincial People's Committee has directed relevant departments and agencies to implement various activities such as: connecting production and consumption of products; supporting brand and trademark promotion. In addition, the Department of Industry and Trade has also implemented trade connection activities, bringing goods into modern distribution channels; promoting connections between businesses, production facilities, and cooperatives with large domestic distribution systems and export businesses to support product consumption, gradually forming production and consumption linkages. At the same time, the industry and trade sector is focusing on disseminating information about new generation FTAs ​​to help businesses exploit and maximize the advantages and opportunities from these agreements, linking them with the province's strengths to expand investment and diversify export and import markets. This includes focusing on in-depth dissemination and promotion, tailored to specific fields and industries.

According to statistics from the Thanh Hoa Customs Department, in the first seven months of 2024, the province's total export turnover reached nearly 3 billion USD, with key products including: plywood, flooring, wood chips, footwear, clothing; cassava starch, clams, fish meal, surimi fish cakes, canned vegetables and fruits, frozen suckling pigs, etc. Notably, export markets are expanding, with a focus on EU, ASEAN, Japan, China, South Korea, Russia, and the United States. The successful export of Thanh Hoa's high-quality key products to these demanding markets not only contributes to the effective consumption of these key, distinctive, and high-quality products, but also opens a new phase of development, creating confidence in the province's potential and advantages. This enhances the competitiveness of Thanh Hoa's key products in the domestic market and gradually sets the goal of exporting more products, increasing income for the people.

Text and photos: Khanh Phuong

Final article: Connecting and hoping to help Thanh Hoa's products "take off".

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/dinh-vi-hang-hoa-xu-thanh-tren-thi-truong-bai-2-nhung-buoc-chinh-phuc-an-tuong-222096.htm