Under-Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney. (Photo: agri-pulse.com)Hanoi (VNA) – Under-Secretary of Agriculture for Trade andForeign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney has led trade mission to Vietnam inan effort to boost agricultural exports from the US to the Southeast Asiannation.
He wasaccompanied by representatives of 13 states and nearly 40companies on the trip.
Last year,Vietnam’s agricultural exports to the US totalled 4.2 billion USD, ranking 7thamong exporters to the US.
Vietnam hasenjoyed a trade surplus ofaround 40 billion USD with the US annually with main export items includingtextile and garment, footwear and electronics.
The Vietnamesemarket is very promising so the number of accompanying firms this time ranksthird among the US trade mission trip, said McKinney.
Vietnam hasseen growing living standards, as a result, Vietnamese people are demanding more high-quality farmingproducts, he said, adding that the US agriculture industry can meet suchexpectations.
He also notedthat the US Department of Agriculture worked with the Ministries of Industry and Trade, andAgriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam in this effort.
McKinney saidagricultural products from the US are favoured by many local consumers buttheir prices remain relatively high, largely due to administrative costs inVietnam.
Vietnam hasbeen streamlining customs procedures while the US side has been supportingAmerican exporters to cut costs and clearance time./.
VNA
