Vietnam eyes farm produce exports to Mexico

While their stay in Mexico, 12 Vietnamese import-export businesses conducted a survey on the farm produce wholesale markets in Mexico whilst working alongside agricultural importers such as Lozano Magana and Semillas y Granos and representatives from the City Market chain.

During a seminar with the theme ‘Business opportunities between Mexico and Vietnam’, held by Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade (COMCE), both sides highlighted the potential for promoting trade exchanges in the field of importing and exporting rice and farm produce.

Upon addressing the seminar, COMCE Vice President Jorge Lopez Morton pointed out the bright prospects for the import and export of foodstuff between the two countries under the framework of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The COMCE representative also underlined the importance of the Vietnam-Mexico Joint Committee on economy-trade-investment cooperation in boosting bilateral collaboration, especially in the trade field.

He said the Mexican government has granted an import quota of 150,000 tons of rice set at a zero percent tariff annually, which has opened up a wealth of opportunities for Vietnamese rice exporters.

Mexico is now the world’s 11th largest argi-food supplier with a range of products such as meat, pork, avocados, and tomatoes.

Mr Lorpez Morton revealed that a delegation of Mexican businesses is planning to carry out a survey of the Vietnamese market in October and seek additional Vietnamese trading partners.

For his part, VFA President Nguyen Ngoc Nam affirmed the suitability of Mexico as a potential market for Vietnamese food export businesses, especially when it comes to key export commodities such as rice, pepper, and cashew nuts.

Vietnam is currently the world’s third largest rice exporter and produces a variety of high-quality rice products with an annual average export volume of some 6 million tones, raking in close to US$3 billion,Nam said.

During the seminar, búinesses touched upon farm produce and foodstuff which are in high demand for import, including rice, fruits, beef, and pork.