Broad brush strokes to paint bright picture

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said Vietnam’s agro-forestry-fisheries sector targeted to reap an annual export turnover of $22 billion between 2011-2015 and an average annual growth rate of 3.5-3.8 per cent during this period. The sector expected to grow 3.5 per cent this year, when its export turnover would be $20 billion.

“Investment and priorities will be focused on major exports such as tra fish, shrimp, rice, rubber, coffee, cashews and pepper,” said MARD Minister Cao Duc Phat.

Phat said the government would continue launching large-scale agro-forestry-aquatic product promotions worldwide, particularly in important markets such as China, European Union, Asia and North America.

“New markets such as South Africa and Middle East will also be focused. They are in big need of made-in-Vietnam products,” he said.

The sector grew 2.8 per cent last year and its export turnover is estimated to reach a record $19.15 billion, up 22.6 per cent against last year.

Of which the export turnovers of farm produce, aquatic products and forestry products were estimated at $9.95 billion, $4.94 billion and $3.63 billion, respectively, up 24.2, 16.3 and 29.8 per cent, respectively, against last year.

According to MARD, Vietnam’s agro-forestry-aquatic products have been strongly competing with the same products from many foreign markets. As a result, they are facing with more and more technical barriers from and even smeared by these markets.

For example, since 2009, Vietnam’s aquatic products, especially tra and basa fish, have been denigrated by the media and organisations in many foreign importing markets such as Europe, Russia, Middle East, the United States, Egypt, Ukraine and Brazil. Most recently, World Wildlife Fund branches in six European countries blacklisted Vietnam’s tra fish in their red list, which contains the names of products that conscientious consumers should shun.

However, prestige of Vietnam’s agro-forestry-aquatic products were then restored thanks to the country’s providing correct information to these markets and organisations.

“That is why we will continue perfecting the country’s food hygiene and safety regulations in line with internationally standardised ones, while working with foreign markets about how safe our products are,” said MARD deputy minister Hoang Van Thang. He said the MARD would continue posting accurate information about the sector on the internet, while making books and films about the sector to send to international organisations, embassies and foreign importing markets.

According to the MARD, all local production, processing and export establishments will be heavily punished, even forced to shut down, if found to break regulations in food hygiene and safety.

“This is a war to protect the image of Vietnamese products,” Phat said.