Hanoi (VNA) – The recent signingof the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which is expected to takeeffect from early 2020, has opened the door wider for Vietnamese farm produceto make inroads into the more than 500-million people strong market.

According to Chairman of the Vietnam PepperAssociation Nguyen Nam Hai, Vietnam exports about 40,000 tonnes of pepper tothe EU each year, meeting 53 percent of the market’s demand.

Along with pepper, other agricultural productsare gaining foothold in EU countries such as fruits, vegetables and cashewnuts.

Nguyen Quoc Toan, Director of the AgroProcessing and Market Development Authority (Agrotrade) under the Ministry ofAgricultural and Rural Development, said the EU is one of the three biggestimporters of Vietnamese farm produce. 

In the first eight months of 2019, the EU marketaccounted for more than 12 percent of Vietnam’s agricultural exports, he noted.

Deputy head of the European-American MarketDepartment under the Ministry of Industry and Trade Tran Ngoc Quan said the EUis committed to removing 94 percent of the total 547 tariff lines forvegetables and fruits after the EVFTA comes into effect.

Apart from farm produce, the EU is also thesecond largest seafood importer of Vietnam, making up 17 percent of thecountry’s total aquatic export value, he added.

To boost exports to a choosy market like the EU,businesses should improve the quality of products and ensure food safety andorigin tracing.

Vuong Truong Giang, head of the plant protectiondepartment’s food safety and environment office from the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development, suggested Vietnamese firms seek solutions tocontrolling the quality of products from producing to processing and preservingstages, and building standardize material growing zones to meet requirements onorigin.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentNguyen Xuan Cuong said the ministry has approved a planning scheme for keyfruit growing areas in the southern region through 2020.

Meanwhile, Minister of Industry and Trade TranTuan Anh said his ministry will work with trade counselors in EU countries toupdate trade barriers and help businesses attract investment in production andprocessing.

Businesses exporting farm produce to the EU saidto penetrate the market, there is no need to place heavy premiums on exportvolume, instead focusing on the quality and transparency of the origin ofproducts, designs and brands./.