Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – DeputyMinister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam called on Swiss investorsto engage in Vietnam’s agricultural sector during a trade and investment promotionforum on agriculture in Zurich, Switzerland, on June 29.
Nam highlightedVietnam’s economic achievements, including the highest growth in the region, inrecent years since the country implemented its renewal policies.
Vietnam is one of theworld largest exporters of many agricultural products such as rice, coffee,cashew, rubber, aquatic products, wood and wooden products, he noted.
The officials stressedthat Vietnam is restructuring its agriculture towards higher value, hightechnology, organic and sustainable growth, with priority on processing and raisingquality and added value of agricultural products.
Swiss businesses operatingin Vietnam’s agriculture sector, including Nestle, Tetra Pak, Buhler, Bucher,Syngenta, have shown their pioneering role in renovating their products,enhancing quality and added value of the products, thus promoting many farmproduce of Vietnam in the international market, he said.
Vietnam and theEuropean Free Trade Area (EFTA), in which Switzerland is a member, have beennegotiating for a free trade agreement. After being signed and becomingeffective, the deal will open up great chances for businesses of both sides toboost their partnership, Nam said.
Meanwhile, MarcTownsend, Chairman of the Vietnam Committee under the Swiss-Asian Chamber ofCommerce, said that many Swiss firms has long experience in partnering withVietnamese farmers, including Nestle that has been operating in the SoutheastAsian country since 1912.
Vietnam is strong inthe production of rice, pepper corn, cashew and tropical fruits, he held.
Townsend revealed thatSwiss enterprises interested in Vietnam have considered the introduction of newSwiss invention into Vietnam, including environmental-friendly technology, andsmart cultivation techniques. They have sought opportunities to bringVietnamese products to the world, he added.
He asserted that theinvestment environment of Vietnam is attractive. He advised Swiss firms who arekeen on expanding investment in Vietnam should thoroughly study the market anddemand in Vietnam, along with the culture and working methods of Vietnamesepeople.
Tran Van Cong, deputyhead of the Department of Farm Produce Processing and Market Development underthe Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, introduced investment andbusiness opportunities in Vietnam’s agricultural sector.
Vietnam is now ranking13th in the world in terms of farm produce exports, while its agriculturalproducts have been available in 180 countries.
Vietnam has 10 majorproducts with export revenue exceeding 1 billion USD - aquatic products, woodand wooden products, cashew, coffee, vegetable, rice, pepper corn, rubber andcassava.
Cong also clarifiedVietnam’s policies in luring investment in agriculture and rural development aswell as incentives for high technology businesses.
He said that Vietnamis willing to apply special preferential policies for Swiss firms inagricultural machineries, processing technology, and high-tech agriculture.
On the sidelines of theforum, businesses of both sides tasted famous agricultural and beverageproducts of Vietnam.-VNA
VNA
