Boosting EU fruit and vegetable exports
(VOV) - Hanoi has hosted a seminar, organised by the European Trade Policy and Investment Support Project (EU-MUTRAP) and the Business Promotion and Service Centre.
The seminar reiterated the importance of food hygiene and safety standards to Vietnam’s European produce export success.
Participants recommended Vietnam implement Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) across the fruit and vegetable sector to meet the demanding requirements of both European consumers and importers.
The event offered an opportunity for associations, businesses, collectives, and processing establishments to learn about useful strategies for protecting the reputation of Vietnam’s fruit and vegetables on international markets.
The sector’s export turnover has increased at an annual average of US$300 million from 2005–2011. The US$630 million turnover in 2011 was a record high, 35.5 percent more than in 2010, and pushing Vietnam into one of the world’s five leading fruit and vegetable exporters.
In 2012 it rose an additional 33.4 percent to US$829 million. But its exports to the European Union markets have not enjoyed similarly spectacular success, mainly due to violations of the bloc’s strict import quality criteria.
EU-MUTRAP has planned another seminar for August 6 in the southern province of Dong Nai, this time focused onprinciples of origin within free trade areas and the EU’s new Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP).