After finalising the first phase of 50 trade fairs to promote high-quality Vietnamese products in rural areas, the Business Support Analyst (BSA) Centre in HCM City has worked together with local agencies to implement the second phase by drawing a distribution map for Vietnamese products.

The BSA and the High-Quality Vietnamese Product Business Association held a fair to bring Vietnamese products to rural areas in Cang Long district, Tra Vinh province from October 15-17.

This fair was first launched by the BSA in each locality to gain accurate market information, then the BSA collaborated with the provincial Department of Industry and Trade and the Industrial Promotion Centre to survey the actual market situation of 250 retail outlets and agents in eight provincial administrative units. It also surveyed 410 local people in Tra Vinh City and the three districts of Tra Cu, Chau Thanh and Duyen Hai as well as 500 people from rural households in Tra Vinh province.

All data collected from the survey was analysed by market experts to draw a distribution map to bring quality Vietnamese goods to rural areas in Cang Long.

A Vietnamese product festival was held recently in Cang Long district with a variety of activities and progarmmes to present gifts to the poor, train small traders in sales skills, guide farmers on the proper use of fertiliser and provide free medical treatment and for local people.

On the occasion, the BSA officially announced the product distribution map in Tra Vinh as a useful tool for businesses and managers.

The survey results show that only 15 percent of people always buy Vietnamese products while 24 percent never do and 61 percent buy them occasionally. Many people say they like to buy quality products at reasonable prices. 34 percent of consumers like Vietnamese products because of the prices and 24 percent think that they are high quality, while 50 percent prefer imported products because of high quality and 10 percent buy them out of habit.

BSA director Vu Kim Hanh said that the distribution map for Vietnamese products makes it possible for Vietnamese consumers to have a free choice of goods on sale.

It is based on the results of research about retailers, origins of imported products, favourite Vietnamese products, supply of Vietnamese and imported goods, and information about distribution networks, inflows of products, storage systems, evaluations of specific markets and advice for businesses hoping to penetrate the markets.

Supporting businesses to expand markets

“Bringing Vietnamese products to rural areas” and creating “a product distribution map in Tra Vinh” are important parts of the plan for Vietnamese companies being afoot to conquer the rural market. The project aims to provide essential information and advice for businesses to develop solid network and help them learn about how to distribute Vietnamese products properly in different localities, Ms Hanh said.

She added that the important goal of bringing Vietnamese products to rural areas is to approach rural consumers, not just sell products. Businesses need to know rural consumer taste and purchasing power in order to improve quality of products and services and maintain a foothold in the rural markets. This is the most effective way that’s worth a try.

The map is just 1/63 of a national map of the distribution of high quality Vietnamese products. It cannot represent all domestic products, production and trading. The State should create an overall distribution map of Vietnamese products as a standard tool for economic growth.