Swiss agriculture minister visits Vietnamese spice exporters

The enterprise selected for this visit was Son Ha Spices Co., Ltd., one of 23 companies in the natural ingredients industry supported by the Biotrade project to help them comply with socially sustainable value chain standards, environment protection measures, and biodiversity targets.

This is also the first company in Vietnam, and around the world, to achieve UEBT/RA certification from the Ethical Bio-Trade Alliance and Rainforest Alliance for the cinnamon value chain in the two provinces of Lao Cai and Yen Bai, thanks to the support from the Biotrade project.

The minister's delegation visited Son Ha Spices in Bac Ninh province

In addition, the company is also playing a pioneering role in implementing the biodiversity action plan in the company's raw material areas.

The two sides discussed the opportunities and challenges when exporting natural ingredients in general, and spices in particular, to Europe, including the Swiss market.

Swiss Agriculture Minister Christian Hofer said, “By conserving biodiversity, promoting socially and environmentally sustainable production, and supporting the marketing of these products internationally, the Biotrade project has been contributing to more sustainable production in Vietnam, and at the same time, realising the goals of the Global Conference on Sustainable Food and Food Systems to ensure the viability of long-term and sustainable access to healthy food around the world.”

The visit reaffirms the important role of businesses in promoting sustainable production, trading in products of natural origin, and the great export potential of these products in the international market.

The Biotrade project is funded by the Swiss government through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

Switzerland's support through the Biotrade project has raised awareness of the potential of meeting international sustainability standards with natural ingredients to generate sustainable food systems.