Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam Phung Duc Tien suggests the UK government to soon consider opening the market for fresh fruits (Photo: VNA)London (VNA) – Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)of the UK Victoria Prentis on May 25 highlighted the importance of the Vietnam-UKagriculture and rural development cooperation, especially now that the UK governmentconsiders Vietnam as a vital partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
During talks with visiting Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of VietnamPhung Duc Tien at the headquarters of DEFRA, Prentis affirmed her country’scommitment to strongly support the transformation of Vietnam's agriculturetowards green, low emission and sustainable development.
Forhis part, Tien proposed specific cooperation, including in the field of policy, to develop green and low-emission agriculture, promote the opening of agro-forestry-aquaculture markets, and strengthen cooperation in sustainable development, climate change adaptation and biodiversity.
He expressed his hope that the two sides will soon sign a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) on cooperation in agriculture and rural development, thus promotingand realising priority cooperation programmes and activities in 2022-2025.
Regarding future orientations for cooperation, the Vietnamese official suggestedthe UK government to soon consider opening the market for fresh fruits such asmango, passion fruit, grapefruit, litchi, and longan; and processed pork and poultryproducts, poultry eggs, and milk and dairy products, from Vietnam.
Toincrease trade in livestock products between the two countries, Deputy MinisterTien proposed the UK side to provide veterinary hygiene and food safetyrequirements.
Prentisagreed on Tien’s assessment of the cooperation potential between the twoministries in the near future, and noted proposals of Vietnam to promote theopening of the market.
She suggestedVietnam consider to soon import some pork and chicken products of the UK, andaffirmed her country’s commitment to strongly support the transformation ofVietnam's agriculture towards green, low emission and sustainable development.
Bilateral cooperationin agriculture has been over the recent past promoted and achieved important progress. Agricultural,forestry and fishery products of the two countries are exported to each otherwith increasing turnovers, especially after the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement(UKVFTA) officially took effect in May 2021./.
