Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged a study on traffic connectivity between Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC and the under-construction Long Thanh International Airport in neighboring Dong Nai Province.

The request was made clear in a Government Office notice on Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s conclusion after the 10th meeting of the steering committee for key national infrastructure projects.

The PM asked the Ministry of Transport to urgently conduct a comprehensive study on traffic connectivity between Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airports, which could be either elevated or underground rail line.

The study must ensure that the effective and harmonious operations of the two airports when Long Thanh is put into service.

At the meeting of the steering committee, the PM that despite some achievements, a couple of tasks have lagged behind schedule, so greater efforts would be made to solve this problem.

Quang Tri to start work on airport in June

Quang Tri Province has announced to begin work on an airport in June with commercial service scheduled to start in late 2026.

According to Vo Van Hung, chairman of Quang Tri People’s Committee, the north-central province is working with investors to expedite construction work while Gio Linh District is also actively clearing the site.

Gio Linh District has completed the placement of planning markers, assessed environmental impact and paid funds for reforestation. Other preparation steps such as conducting land surveying work, managing land use rights, and issuing land reclamation notices have also been done.

The province has directed this district to accelerate the process, striving to hand over 136.2 hectares of land to investors before May 31 and complete clearing 100% of land before December this year.

The project received approval from the prime minister in December 2021 for investment under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) format, with mixed functions as a domestic civilian airport terminal and a military airport. Spanning an area of 316.6 hectares, the project requires a total investment of VND5,821 billion, or US$257 million.

Hanoi Q1 real estate market shows mixed signals

The Hanoi real estate market in the first quarter of this year showed mixed signals, according to a new report by Savills.

New retail space supply increased by 5% year-on-year, with rent 13% higher than in the same period in 2023.

Office space supply remained largely stable. Grade A vacancy rates improved by one percentage point against the previous quarter, but rents softened slightly as tenants sought options with better value.

Firms in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector accounted for 71% of leased space in January-March.

The hotel sector saw occupancy reaching 65%, with two new projects adding 800 rooms to the hotel inventory.

Meanwhile, new apartment supply plunged by 34% year-on-year. Sales rose 99% against the same period last year to 5,308 units, primarily driven by Grade B units.

The gap between secondary and primary market prices widened, with primary prices now 40% higher on average.

Savills analysts projected that the Hanoi real estate market will see continued growth in specific sectors, driven by strong foreign investment inflows, tourism recovery, infrastructure improvements, and new policies.

Quang Ngai revokes long-delayed projects

Nearly 80 investment projects in the central province of Quang Ngai have been revoked over the past four years due to stagnant progress, according to the local Department of Planning and Investment.

According to a report from the department, 21 projects had their investment licenses revoked in 2020, and another 12 projects in 2021, and 15 in 2022.

In 2022 and 2023, the Management Board of Dung Quat Economic Zone and Quang Ngai Industrial Zones revoked licenses of nine projects invested by the FLC Company in Dung Quat Industrial Zone with registered investment of VND18 trillion (USD721.45 million) on an area of 250 hectares.

The VND1 trillion (USD43 million) King Bay - Sa Huynh Resort, invested in by Vietnamese investment firm King Bay was given a licence in June 2019 and was scheduled to be put into operation by the end of 2021. However, the 51.40-ha project has yet to start construction due to site clearance problems.

According to the department, these projects had been delayed for a long time, wasting land and causing public anger.

"We'll continue to check and deal with all the stagnant investment projects in 2024," the department said.

Ninh Bình, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ, Hà Tĩnh cooperate in tourism development

There will be more new tours linking Ninh Bình - Thanh Hóa – Nghệ An - Hà Tĩnh provinces in an effort to create high quality tourism products at competitive prices.

That's the conclusion at a tourism promotion conference titled "One Journey - Countless Experiences" took place in Hà Nội on April 11.

This is the third time these four provinces have jointly organised a tourism promotion conference on the sidelines of the Vietnam International Tourism Fair (VITM).

Through the conference, the four provinces hope to introduce and promote the image of their destinations, markets, new tourism products, services and tourism events in 2024 to attract tourists.

The aim is to build the tourism image of the four provinces through linking everything into one journey with many experiences.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Director of Ninh Bình Provincial Department of Tourism Bùi Văn Mạnh shared: "Ninh Bình - Thanh Hóa – Nghệ An - Hà Tĩnh is an area with a special geographical location in the Northern and North Central region, a bridge between Hà Nội and the North Central region, between the Northwest and the Red River Delta, between the central provinces and neighboring countries of Laos and Thailand.

This place has rich and diverse natural resources, converging all types of tourism with many valuable historical and cultural relics, famous and beautiful natural landscapes, friendly and hospitable people. These provinces are safe and attractive destinations that attract domestic and international tourists."

In recent years, tourism development cooperation activities among the four provinces of Ninh Bình, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, and Hà Tĩnh have received increasing attention, especially their coordination in promoting distinct tourism products as well as new tourism products of four provinces through specific activities such as: coordinating organisation of tourism promotion conferences; welcoming provincial Famtrip delegations to survey four provinces; exchanging information in State management work and; supporting the dissemination of tourism promotion information.

At the conference, the attending delegates visited the display space of publications and distinct products of the four provinces and watched a video presentation about the tourism potential and products of the four provinces.

At the same time, representatives of the four provinces also introduced new tourism products, outstanding events and distinct tourism activities in 2024 while exchanging and discussing together to come up with solutions that help the tourism industry develop stronger in the future.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Director of Vietnam National Tourism Administration Phạm Văn Thủy highly appreciated the results that the tourism industry of the four provinces has achieved. In particular, the tourism promotion conference is a good opportunity for provinces to introduce and promote attractive tourism destinations, products and services to serve domestic and foreign tourists during the peak season of the upcoming summer.

The Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration proposed that the provinces need to coordinate and work towards the goal of building common tourism products.

Pay special attention to creating unique, quality, competitive, and attractive inter-local product chains for tourists. Continue to share information, experiences, and knowledge in tourism management to retain visitors and create long-term tourism products. In addition, local tourism associations need to coordinate, link, accompany and orient businesses and work with state management agencies to develop policies for tourism development. 

HCM City prepares for international travel expo this fall

The Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism, in collaboration with the HCM City Department of Tourism, provided on April 11 details about the activities at the 18th International Travel Expo HCM City (ITE HCMC 2024) scheduled for September. 

According to Ms. Bùi Thị Ngọc Hiếu, Deputy Director of the HCM City Department of Tourism, this year's ITE HCMC is organised with a series of diverse and prominent activities.

As the only travel expo in Việt Nam with an international buyer programme, ITE HCMC 2024 is expected to attract 220 international buyers from 40 countries and territories.

Applying technology, ITE HCMC 2024 will be organised in a hybrid format, combining physical exhibitions with an online presence. In addition to traditional exhibitions at the Sài Gòn Exhibition and Convention Centre, there will be 2D online virtual booths.

The 2D online booths provide comprehensive information and images of exhibitors' products and services with various standout features such as live chat, email communication, and appointment scheduling, which facilitate international buyers and exhibitors in finding suitable partners.

According to information from the organisers, ITE HCMC 2024 is expected to attract over 500 exhibitors and brands. The expo anticipates facilitating 10,000 business meetings, providing opportunities for direct interaction between international and Vietnamese travel businesses.

The expo will feature seminars, conferences, and specialised forums, with a highlight being the high-level Tourism Forum themed "Sustainable Tourism, Shaping the Future."

According to Ms. Hieu, previously, visitors to HCM City could explore the inner-city products in just a day or half a day, but now it takes three days to fully experience them. 

The city has also developed many products connecting various destinations to form a product chain, ensuring that when visitors come to the city, they stay for at least three days.

The event is scheduled to take place from September 5 to 7, within the framework of the ongoing Viet Nam International Travel Mart (VITM). 

Big bonus is on offer for women’s club at VTV9 - Bình Điền

The international women's volleyball VTV9 - Bình Điền Cup is back after four years with a huge bonus up for grabs in May in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk.

The tournament, last played in Kiên Giang Province in 2019, was postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the May 11-19 tournament, Chinese Sichuan club will defend their title against Việt Nam's leading clubs of VTV Bình Điền Long An, Trường Tươi Bình Phước, LPBank Ninh Bình, and Đức Giang Lào Cai. Other participants are the U20 squads of Thailand and Việt Nam, and Japanese PFU BlueCats.

They will be divided into two groups competing in the round robin format. The best two of each group will advance to the semi-finals.

As the host side, VTV Bình Điền Long An targets a place in the final match.

The national four-time champion are in good form currently. They just welcomed back the best national player Trần Thị Thanh Thúy after she ended her on-loan contract with PFU BlueCats early this month.

Ngô Văn Đông, general director of Bình Điền Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, owner of the club, also announced that the club had signed a contract with a quality foreign player to improve their power.

According to Volleyball Federation of Việt Nam (VFV), all teams were strong and their international players would strengthen their power. They promised to deliver great matches for the supporters at the Buôn Ma Thuột City Gymnasium.

"Audience will enjoy exciting matches in the Bình Điền Cup when the local teams are national top four, home to many national players," said VFV General Secretary Lê Trí Trường.

"The three guest teams are also really good in quality. They all have high rankings in their local championships."

This year's event will see the Video Challenge Eyes technology applied for the first time to enhance the game’s officiating and ensure that calls will be fair and transparent.

In a press conference in HCM City on April 11, the organisers announced a big bonus of US$48,000. Prizes in cash will be given to the top four, in which the champion will take $15,000. Other teams in the top four will take $10,000, $7,000 and $3,000.

Outstanding players will receive awards for the MVP, best spiker, hitter, setter, libero, "Miss Volleyball”, and player in Vietnamese traditional áo dài (long dress).

A purse of VNĐ1 billion will be used for charity activities during the competition time in Đắk Lắk.

The VTV9 - Bình Điền, first organised in 2006, is a prestigious international competition luring international clubs from different countries.

“The tournament has become one of the most popular volleyball competitions in Việt Nam for many years. However, the pandemic was a force majeure cause, so organisers had to adjust and choose the best time to return," said Đông.

"People's interest and expectation motivate us to bring the tournament back. It will be a good opportunity for Vietnamese players to learn from the international colleagues while the national team members will sharpen skills for upcoming international competitions." 

Ái reelected leader of Việt Nam Paralympic Committee

Huỳnh Vĩnh Ái will take charge of the Việt Nam Paralympic Committee for the next five year after he was successfully reelected Chairman in a congress in Hà Nội on April 12.

Delegates voted a new Executive Board with 29 members and a standing panel with nine members. 

Ái, who is former Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, will lead the Committee which was previously known as the Việt Nam Paralympic Association, from 2024 to 2029.

He will be assisted by two vice chairmen Nguyễn Doãn Tuyến and Lý Đại Nghĩa. Trần Đức Thọ is General Secretary.

At the sixth congress, delegates reviewed the committee's works in the previous period and agreed that under strong support of the government and enterprises, the sport movement for people with disabilities and the achievements of athletes with disabilities increased significantly.

In 2023, the national teams competed successfully at the 12th ASEAN Para Games earning 201 medals, in which 66 were golds, and set up 19 new records and ranked third in the medal tally.

In the 19th Asian Para Games, they secured one gold, 10 silvers and nine bronzes.

Currently, there are nearly 40 athletes with disabilities who receive regular support from the State. It is still quite modest compared with the total number of sportsmen.

All delegates agreed that this number should be increased remarkably, thereby helping the sports movement for people with disabilities grow stronger.

In addition to the better attention from the State, the committee needed to strengthen current connection while call for more help from organisations and businesses in the development of sports for people with disabilities.

Delegates also raised a number of proposals and recommendations such as building preferential policies for athletes with disabilities; stabilising the existing club system and opening more sports clubs for people with disabilities in localities.

The committee's goal in the new period is to have 160-165 elite athletes training all-year-round training at national and local sports training centres; having 130 members to attend the 2026 ASEAN Para Games and from seven to nine athletes qualified for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

The congress set a goal of attracting 1.5 million people with disabilities (in a total of more than 7 million people with disabilities nationwide) to participate in sports and physical activities by 2030.

Top cueists take up the challenge at National Carom Cup

Top 400 men’s and women’s players will be competing in the National Cup Carom Billiards Championship at the central city’s T26 Hotel on April 13-21, selecting the best 16 players for the World Carom 3 Championship in HCM City in May.

The Việt Nam Billiards & Snooker Federation (VBSF) said players will compete in the men’s and women’s carom 3, and the men’s carom 1 for total cash prizes of VNĐ255 million (US$10,000).

It said in the men’s carom 3 qualifying round, competitors will earn 30 points from 40 strokes, while carom 1 must collect 80 points from 25 cues.

Meanwhile, women’s carom 3 will qualify for 25 points from free cue.

The event’s organisers said round of 32 and semi-final will be a challenge for newcomers, but it’s a tussle among top players.

It’s expected that top players Trần Quyết Chiến and Bao Phương Vinh will be main focus at the championship after good performances at Carom 3 Billiards World Cup in Portugal and Turkey last year.

VBSF said the top-form players at the national cup will don national jerseys at World Carom 3 Championship in HCM City on May 20-26. 

Forest rangers strive to prevent fire during dry season

Despite the heat of 40 degrees Celsius, many forest rangers are diligently on duty and going on patrol regularly to protect the forest.

On his working day, Tô Thế Mạnh, Deputy Director of the Xuân Lộc Protective Forest Management Board, carefully checked the fuel of his motorbike and tied down necessary items on it.

He started the vehicle and drove towards the forest.

“There has been no rain here for the past three months. At this time, the forest fire risk is always at level five – the highest level,” said Mạnh.

“Many cajuput trees have died and hybrid acacia trees have yellowed leaves. They are at risk of mass death because they cannot withstand the heat. Therefore, forest fire prevention and fighting must be given top priority," he said.

Up to now, more than 20ha of hybrid acacia trees have died.

In addition, some native timber trees also stand dead and withered.

From 9am to 4pm is the peak time for forest fire prevention.

With the motto "prevention is key and firefighting must be timely", all forest rangers take turns to be on duty continuously, because with just one little mistake, the whole forest could be burnt down.

Trần Đăng Quý, a member of the forest management team in charge of the Gia Huynh Region, said, “We also water the plants frequently because if newly planted trees are exposed to such strong sunlight, they will all die."

According to the Xuân Lộc Protective Forest Management Board, in the past few days, the weather has changed rapidly with intense heat.

In Đầm Voi, Gia Phu and Lán Cát regions, which border Bình Thuận Province, due to dry weather and winds, the risk of forest fires is very high.

About 1,000ha of young forests are being actively watered to fight the effects of drought.

Mạnh said, "To ensure good forest fire prevention and control, in recent days, all forces, along with necessary equipment and means of prevention, are in a state of readiness all day.”

To limit the risk of forest fires, up to now the Management Board has basically removed vegetation and flammable materials in the forest.

At the same time, it strengthens the forces to promptly remind and handle people going in and out of the forest using smoke to catch bees and snakes.

Households living in adjacent areas and train passengers also receive warning about the problem.

The Xuân Lộc Protective Forest Management Board is also surveying all water reservoirs to dredge more if necessary.

It monitors the underground water level to best prepare the water source for irrigation to save the forest trees and for fighting fires.

The biggest difficulty that the Management Board is facing now is that the weather continues to be hot and sunny. Strong winds bring down a lot of dry vegetation, creating a lot of fuel for fires on the forest floor. 

Savings interest rates begin rising amid slowing bank deposits

While some commercial banks continue lowering deposit interest rates, others are increasing the rates, particularly for term deposits of 12 months or longer.

As of early April, six commercial banks have raised their savings interest rates, including VPBank, SHB, Eximbank, HDBank, MSB, and Kienlongbank.

VPBank saw the largest increase, with rates going up from 0.1 per cent to 0.5 per cent across all terms. The highest increase was for the 12-month term, now offering 4.7 per cent per year for deposits at the counter and 4.8 per cent for online deposits.

Other banks such as MSB, SHB, Eximbank, and HDBank also raised their rates by 0.2 per cent for specific terms.

The highest interest rate for deposits under VNĐ1 billion with a 24-month term is currently 5.8 per cent per year.

An employee at an HDBank branch in HCM City’s District 7, who asked to remain anonymous, told Việt Nam News that there has been a slight increase in deposit interest rates for the 12-month and 13-month terms.

The highest increase was seen in the 13-month term, with rates now at 4.9 per cent per year for counter deposits, and 5.1 per cent per year for online deposits.

"Customers who deposit over VNĐ2 billion with a total deposit balance of VNĐ5 billion are eligible for a higher deposit rate of up to 5.6 per cent per year for the 13-month term," she said.

The employee attributed the slight increase in deposit interest rates to the gradual recovery of credit growth in the market.

On the other hand, more than 10 banks have decreased deposit interest rates in recent weeks, including State-owned banks Vietcombank and VietinBank.

Private banks such as Techcombank, ACB, TPBank, VIB, Sacombank, SeABank, ABBank, BVBank, SCB, Oceanbank, and CBBank have also lowered rates by 0.1 per cent to 0.5 per cent.

Despite the decrease in deposits, liquidity in banks remains high, and credit activities had increased at the end of the first quarter, following negative growth in the previous months.

The downward trend in savings interest rates has been ongoing since March last year, with almost all lenders reducing rates across various terms over the past months.

Bank leaders predicted that savings interest rates will remain low until mid-year, with a potential increase once credit growth picks up in the last two quarters of the year.

However, rates may not return to the high levels seen in 2022, due to a run at a private lender in late 2022 that has been taken over by the central bank. 

Conference discusses digital transformation for sustainable textile Industry development

A conference held in HCM City on April 12 discussed the advantages digital transformation and adoption of innovative technological solutions confer on the textile and garment industry.

The “Superior Choice of Vietnam's Textile and Garment Enterprises for Sustainable Development” conference was held as part of the SaigonTex and SaigonFabric 2024 exhibition organised by the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) and others.

Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Mai, deputy general secretary and head of the VITAS representative office in HCM City, told the conference that the Government recently approved a "Vietnam textile and garment industry development strategy to 2030, vision to 2035."

Its objectives include enhancing the production of high-quality items, building competitiveness in the international market and meeting domestic demand, she said.

VITAS representatives said one of the major solutions is digital transformation across the entire textile industry.

This requires enterprises to strategically shift their business and innovate their technology if they want to ensure competitiveness and sustainability, they said.

Trần Thị Hà, CEO of Pro-sports Trading Company, said though her company has used various software and digital transformation solutions, it has failed to meet customer requirements, especially in terms of transparency and integration with customer software systems.

Moreover, company management requires strategic decisions based on synchronised data sources rather than waiting for aggregation from multiple sources, she said.

Nguyễn Thị Hồng Phương, deputy general director of Phong Phú International Joint Stock Company, said as her company grows and aims for sustainable development, it needs to standardise management and production operations based on synchronised databases.

When deploying digital transformation solutions, the company could easily manage the flow of goods from raw material imports to selling finished products, she said.

The company has been successful in digital transformation in the textile sector, and next plans it in other areas such as yarn, dyeing and fabric, she added.

Jatin Paul, CEO of WFX, said textile enterprises using various standalone software and so lack cohesion.

But WFX's solution offers comprehensive integration and could integrate with existing software, he said.

WFX is a global company operating in over 50 countries and territories that provide integrated software solutions for the textile industry.

The event was held at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre (SECC) in HCM City. 

2024 a year for making breakthroughs: Forum

The year 2024 is considered a crucial period for accelerating and achieving breakthroughs in the implementation of Việt Nam's five-year socio-economic development plan for 2021-2025, according to experts.

They made the saying in a forum on "Unlocking the New Growth Drivers," held recently in Hà Nội. The purpose of the forum aimed to discuss and highlight the need for transforming the growth model to adapt to new development dynamics in Việt Nam.

The country's economy has been facing a mix of opportunities, advantages, difficulties, and challenges, with the latter being more prominent.

Some of the challenges include strong inflationary pressure, anticipated difficulties in production and business operations, and declining demand from traditional import and export markets. In light of these challenges, it becomes essential to transform the growth model by adopting new thinking, perception, and action, according experts.

Hoàng Quang Phòng, the Vice President of VCCI, emphasised the importance of transforming the growth model and highlighted the role of the Vietnamese business community and entrepreneurs in driving this transformation. However, one of the major difficulties faced in this process is the availability of investment resources.

A specific example of this is the need for approximately US$368 billion for green transformation in Việt Nam until 2040, according to estimates by the Asian Development Bank. However, the green finance market in the country is still relatively small, and there is a lack of mechanisms and policies to encourage private capital investment in green sectors.

Apart from the green transformation, other new growth drivers such as the digital economy, circular economy, knowledge economy, and sharing economy were also discussed during the forum. While the relevant ministries and agencies have proposed mechanisms and policies to create a legal framework for businesses operating in these areas, many of these legal documents and regulations are still in the process of being finalised.

The traditional growth drivers, including investment, exports, and consumption, were recognised as needing promotion. Simultaneously, the forum emphasised the importance of promoting new growth drivers such as science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, green transformation, and emerging industries like semiconductor chips and hydrogen. 

New investments in industrial zones in HCMC grow 112% in Q1

The HCMC Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority (HEPZA) announced on April 12 that the total investment in the city’s industrial parks in the January-March period reached US$191.93 million, a 112.12% year-on-year rise.

Of the total, foreign direct investment (FDI) amounted to US$176.7 million, a 3.6-fold increase against the same period last year.

Domestic investment dropped by 63.15% to US$15.23 million.

Leased land area totaled 0.81 hectare while the area for rented warehouse was 6,634 square meters.

Hua Quoc Hung, head of HEPZA, said that the first three months of this year has seen a surge in new orders for enterprises in the industrial zones, who previously grappled with a shortage of new orders.

The January-March export turnover of businesses operating in export processing zones and industrial parks is estimated at US$2.17 billion, up by 6% year-on-year. Around 277,000 people were employed, a 10% increase compared to late last year.

Enterprises optimistic about Q2 business conditions

A majority of Vietnamese industrial firms are optimistic about their business prospects in the second quarter of this year despite ongoing global economic uncertainties, according to a recent report.

A survey by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO) showed that 82% of enterprises stated that their production and business activities in the second quarter may be better than in the first quarter.

Specifically, 45.4% anticipate improved operations, while 36.6% expect stability. Only 18% foresee higher challenges in quarter two compared to quarter one.

Regarding the electricity production and distribution sector, it is anticipated to adequately meet the needs of production, business, and consumption. Meanwhile, the water supply, and waste management and treatment sectors are forecasted to maintain positive growth.

However, industries reliant on mineral extraction are expected to continue declining in the second quarter due to the transition to clean energy.

Phi Thi Huong Nga, head of the Industrial and Construction Statistics Department at the GSO, highlighted several positive aspects of industrial production in quarter one. The first-quarter index of industrial production (IIP) increased by 5.7% compared to the same period last year. Three out of four primary industries, including processing and manufacturing; electricity production and distribution; water supply and waste treatment, expanded by 5.9%, 12.1%, and 4%, respectively.

Moreover, inventories in the processing and manufacturing industries are decreasing, as evidenced by higher consumption compared to production. The processing and manufacturing production index in the first quarter increased by 5.9%, while the consumption index rose by 8.2%.

Vietnam to remove difficulties, boost exports with neighboring countries

The Ministry of Industry and Trade yesterday hosted a conference on trade promotion and development of import-export activities in the Northern border region in 2024.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang said that the Northern midlands and mountainous region are strategic locations so it is necessary to have further investments in infrastructure connecting internal regions with the capital city of Hanoi; develop industries of processing, manufacturing, energy, high-value agriculture, border economy and so on.

To promote trade and develop import-export, localities need to strengthen close coordination to come into consensus on the development of key products; promote the export of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products being strengths of the region; develop some localities in the region as centers for cultivation and processing of exported agricultural products; attract foreign direct investment; develop the export for high-tech products; build economic border zones and modernize logistics activities to support exports.

In the afternoon of the same day, the Ministry of Industry and Trade organized a conference on trade promotion between leaders of the ministry with the system of Vietnamese trade offices abroad to support import-export activities in 2024.

Director General of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) Vu Ba Phu said that with over 5,000- kilometer long borderline with China, Laos and Cambodia along with its location in the central position of Southeast Asia, Vietnam possesses various advantages and strategic conditions to aspire to become the trading center of the region and a gateway connecting trade between neighboring countries and economies in Southeast Asia as well as developed economies.

According to the Director General of the Vietrade, the annual volume of goods exchanged through all road border gates has reached tens of billions dollars.

In the first two months of 2024, Vietnam's import-export turnover through road border gates with neighboring countries reached US$8.44 billion, up 28.5 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

However, cross-border trade still faces many challenges comprising obstacles in the logistics system like the lack of synchronization in international intermodal railway operation with China regarding track gauge; the variety of exported agricultural products and fruits is still very limited compared to the country's production potential; most enterprises focus on unofficial transactions instead of prioritizing official import-export.

Therefore, the conference focused on exchanging and updating market information and cross-border trade promotion opportunities, especially in localities with border gates with neighboring countries China, Laos, and Cambodia.

Honest farmers struggling to conquer market for organic produces

Consumers are willing to pay higher prices for organic produce but dishonest traders mix organic and non-organic types causing difficulties for honest farmers on the way to sell their agricultural produce.

Although the world economy in general and the Vietnam economy in particular have faced many difficulties in recent years and consumers have tightened their spending. Certified organic products are generally more expensive than their conventional counterparts, the demand for organic agricultural products is still very high. However, several deceitful traders have been mixing organic vegetables and fruits with non-organic ones to sell at high prices; plus, there have been no specific and clear criteria to confirm the quality of organic produce.

Owner Nguyen Thu Ha of a farm in Cao Phong District in Hoa Binh Province shared that consumers are doubtful about organic agricultural products because they can not distinguish between what are really organic fruits and vegetables and what are inorganic products. Resident Tran Thi Thu Huong in Thu Duc City has used organic agricultural produce for many years but admitted that she is not fully sure to buy actually organic produce.

Many other consumers also believe that the recent uncovering of non-transparent food products on social networks is necessary so that consumers can avoid these dishonest traders. Nevertheless, after the discovery of such incidents, many consumers no longer believe in products that are introduced and advertised as organic and safe. Farm owner Nguyen Thu Ha believes that there are farming establishments that can be truly organic at first, but later, they secretly use fertilizers, chemicals, and herbicides killing weeds and pests to increase productivity for more profits.

Dr. Nguyen Duc Chinh, owner of GenXanh farm in Hanoi’s Phuc Tho District shared that there are currently two types of organic certification in Vietnam. One is provided by Vietnamese centers and the other is provided by foreign organizations. Although they are all organizations authorized by the state to evaluate, too many organizations and centers have been licensed to certify organic products and not all of them work honestly.

As a consequence, both manufacturers and consumers do not know which unit or organization is reputable.

According to many economic experts, the current concept of organic agricultural production is not defined correctly, causing a loss of consumer confidence. Opening up the domestic organic agriculture market requires transparency. Compared with the current situation in the world and in the country, Vietnam's organic agriculture market still has a lot of room to exploit. The key issue is to promote connectivity as well as product consumption, and strengthen communication so that consumers understand the value of organic agriculture, not only for their health but also their responsibility for environmental protection in agriculture.

In particular, at this time when prices of agricultural materials are rising for many reasons, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan also said that farmers should be encouraged to switch from chemical fertilizers to organic fertilizers because it is a long-term path for the country’s agriculture.

According to the Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, currently, some localities have established assessment offices under the Plant Protection Department or Quality Management Department to support certification for growers doing organic farming at low cost or possibly no cost. However, not all localities can do this.

Director of the Department of Crop Production Nguyen Nhu Cuong said that since 2020, the Prime Minister has approved the Organic Agriculture Development Project from 2020 to 2030.

Almost 63/63 provinces and cities have so far been implementing this project, and many organic agriculture models have proved effective. The State also has a legal framework to manage organic agriculture by promulgating regulations and supervision standards. However, it takes time for these regulations to come into effect.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Lam Dong province, although organic agriculture has achieved positive outcomes, consumers currently do not have absolute trust in products with organic certification because they find it hard to distinguish between non-organic and organically grown produce. In addition, input costs in production are still high, while productivity has decreased by an average of over 30 percent, so organic farmers do not have high profits and need support from the government in the beginning.

A representative of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection in Kon Tum Province also said that due to the province's small budget, it has not financially supported organic agricultural production in the province. Businesses, organizations and individuals in the area have difficulty meeting the criteria for recognition of organic agricultural products. The agricultural area certified for organic agriculture in the locality is still small and there has been no link chain in organic production.

Director Nguyen Hoai Duong of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dak Lak Province said that the province's agricultural sector is building and developing the market and distribution system for key organic agricultural products such as coffee, durian, cocoa, and vegetables. Localities recommend that the Government have programs and solutions to support people and businesses.

According to Deputy Director Nguyen Van Quan of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ca Mau Province, to develop organic agricultural production, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development needs to call for and support businesses that pour money in organic production and link production areas to quickly develop in scale and product quality.

Moreover, the Ministry should coordinate with localities to strengthen propaganda and dissemination to raise awareness among producers and consumers about the benefits of organic agricultural products.

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should promote the connection between consumption and promotion channels through programs to support and promote the consumption of organic agricultural products throughout the country. Every year, the Ministry should allocate funds to maintain and encourage the development of organic production in provinces, especially for key national products.

Vietnam’s tourism popularised in Italy’s Marche region

The “Vietnam - Timeless Charm” tourism brand was brought closer to Italy in a recent tourism promotion event held in Macerata city, Marche region, by the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy in collaboration with local authorities and the MRNC 12 Racing Team.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ambassador Duong Hai Hung affirmed that Vietnam’s visa waiver expansion to 45 days for Italians and a distinct possibility of a direct route will create favourable conditions for trade and tourism cooperation between the two nations.

Meanwhile, President of Marche region Francesco Acquaroli said he stands ready to facilitate cooperation with Vietnam.

Deputy Mayor of Macerata city Francesca D’Alessandro told the Vietnam News Agency the city wishes to bolster cooperation with Vietnam, helping the people of both sides get a better insight into each other’s standout cultural traits.

Vietnam is an appealing tourist destination while Macerata city and Marche region, home to a number of Italy’s renowned manufacturing and processing firms, could play a role in connecting Vietnam with its partners in the country, she said.

According to Director of Vietnam Airlines agent in Italy Massimo Gaggianesi, Vietnam and Italy are discussing the possibilities to operate a direct flight between Vietnam and Italy on the outset of 2025.

As part of the activities held within the “Vietnam – Marche bridge” programme, Ambassador Hung had working sessions with local leading officials as well as met with the business community and the principal of Macerata Univerity to discuss specific measures for comprehensive cooperation with Southern Italy.

Hung recommended local officials to support activities to promote trade, investment, culture, and education between the two sides, and committed to helping Vietnamese and Italian firms to grasp cooperation and investment opportunities.

Meanwhile, local leaders said they want to maintain connectivity with Vietnam to support the business communities of both sides./.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes