Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and TradeDo Thang Hai vowed all possible support for 514 domestic and foreign exhibitorsto introduce their goods and services.
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Handicraft and WoodIndustry Association (HAWA) Nguyen Quoc Khanh said VIFA-EXPO 2019 is thelargest annual fair of the sector, featuring wooden furniture, handicrafts,interior décor, and support services.
With over 2,400 stalls covering 35,000 sq.m, the event isexpected to attract visitors from 80 countries and territories globally.
Participating foreign exhibitors were mostly from Taiwan(China), Singapore, the US, Canada, China, France, India, Denmark, Hong Kong,Ireland, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia,Indonesia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Thailand, Brazil, and the Seychelles.
Statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment showed that exports of wooden furniture and forestry products hit9.3 billion USD last year, up 16.81 percent annually and making it the largestcurrency earner in the agriculture sector.
On the occasion, the organising board presented awards towinners of the interior-exterior design competition for 2018-2019. The besteight entries are on display at the fair.
HAWA also held several seminars to provide information aboutkey wood and interior markets and to share business experience.
Co-hosted by the municipal Department of Industry and Trade,HAWA, and HAWA Corp., the fair will last until March 9. –VNA