Ample room for Vietnamese farm produce, food in Poland

The conference was jointly held by the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (Vietrade), the Commercial Affairs Office under the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland, and the Polish Chamber of Commerce. It aims to help Vietnamese firms study and access the Central European market.

Participants shared the view that Vietnam’s farm produce and food have grown strongly over the past years and affirmed their position in the international market, explaining that these products have hit the shelves of 185 countries and territories, including the US, Japan, the EU and the Republic of Korea.

Nguyen Thanh Hai, Counsellor at the Commercial Affairs Office, said Poland has huge demand for products that Vietnam has strength like rice, tra and basa fish (pangasius), shrimp, mango products, pineapple, coffee and cashew nuts.

Vietnam’s ST24 and ST25 rice varieties are competitive as compared with their rivals from Thailand in terms of price and quality, according to the official.

Wojciech Gerwel, Polish Ambassador to Vietnam, said the fruitful traditional relationship between Vietnam and Poland would create optimal conditions for their businesses to cooperate.

Vu Ba Phu, head of Vietrade, pointed out the positive impact of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) on Vietnam’s economy, particularly its imports from and exports to the EU and Poland.

Vietnam is the EU’s 10th largest goods supplier, he said, suggesting Vietnamese ministries and agencies step up the information work to help domestic enterprises stay updated on commitments in the agreement and market demand.

Following the conference, nearly 30 Vietnamese businesses conducted online transactions with more than 40 Polish firms, and introduced Vietnam’s farm produce and food products that would be exported to the EU.