Dong Nai seeks to boost exports to RoK

Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade Le Van Danh said that with these exceptional financial results for June, the RoK has now become the province’s second largest export market.

Key export products to the RoK during the six month period included footwear, garments, textiles and fibre, wood and timber products, and agricultural products.

The significant increase in gross exports is directly attributable to increased trade resulting from the ASEAN-RoK free trade agreement, Danh said.

Danh added that currently Dong Nai is experiencing high demand from the RoK for fruits like rambutants, mangosteens, jackfruits and bananas and similar agricultural products.

Last year, the RoK imported 6,000 tonnes of mangoes and figure is expected to increase to 10,000 tonnes this year.

Provincial businesses are optimistic about prospects for increased trade and are scurrying to coordinate a joint marketing effort with Korean partners aimed at introducing Vietnamese fruits to broader segments of the Korean consumer market.

Nguyen Thi Le Hong, General Director of the Dong Nai Food Industrial Corporation (Dofico), said her company has strengthened coordination with Korean Nam Sa and other companies to market agricultural products in Korea.

As one specific example, Dofico has teamed up with Korean Nam Sa in an Italian Rygrass project specifically targeting the Korean husbandry industry market.

Nam Sa General Director Choi Young Chul said that Korean people need healthy food like fruits. However, the Korean demand far outstrips the nation’s supply, creating an opportunity for Vietnamese fruits to penetrate the market.

Nam Sa is bullish on Vietnamese fruits and is currently investigating several opportunities for joint projects with Vietnamese businesses, particularly those in Dong Nai.

However, it is quite difficult to bring Vietnamese fruits to the Korean market as the country imposes strict requirements on the quality of products.

The Korean Government requests thorough investigations of each farm exporting products to the market; including a wide variety of tests covering such areas as soil, factory processing procedures, preservation, packing and transport processing procedures.

Nguyen Van Thu, Director of the G.C Food Company at Giang Dien Industrial Zone, said the RoK imposes strict requirements for high quality products, including ISO 22000 on quality management.

All requirements can be met by G.C Food Company so Korean partners plan to visit G.C Food factory to sign export contracts in August, Thu said.