Supporting agricultural enterprises

Various trade fairs, introducing high-quality agricultural products and handicrafts from Hanoi and other provinces across the country have taken place. Through the fairs, many high-tech applied agricultural enterprises have found more and more agents and partners, while diversifying their products, expanding their production scales and applying more advanced technology models. The result shows the important role of the units that have been organised, such as the Hanoi Promotion Agency (HPA).

A booth at the Vietnam Local Specialities Fair 2017
A booth at the Vietnam Local Specialities Fair 2017

Thuan Thien Thanh is the Siamese custard-apple production base of young master Dang Quy Ngoc in Vinh Thoi, Lai Vung district, Dong Thap province. Starting with more than 1 hectare-land belonging to his family, he only planted clean Siamese custard-apples, then, he built the first Siamese custard-apple processing plant in Lai Vung district, Dong Thap province. So far, he has attracted many local farmers to plant clean Siamese custard-apples under his method that created stable materials for his plant, while increasing the income of the local farmers.

Attending the Vietnam Local Specialties Fair 2017 in Hanoi, in late November, Dang Quy Ngoc hoped he would be able to find more dealers in the northern area, where his Siamese custard-apple production is not popular. He said that the price of Siamese custard-apples in Hanoi is more expensive than in his area, but not fresh. The habitants in Hanoi have to eat expensive custard-apples, more than double that in our place. “I hope that I will find a few agents to supply fresh Siamese custard-apple to, because the fruit in Dong Thap is very cheap and delicious, but also clean. Sometimes the farmers do not sell all of their produce and throw them away. It is extremely wasteful.” he shared.

During the three days of the fair, Dang Quy Ngoc found two agents in Hanoi, which will mainly sell canned Siamese custard-apples and dry Siamese custard-apples. In addition, some Malaysian and Brunei partners signed contracts to import canned Siamese custard-apple products of Thuan Thien Thanh. Meanwhile, a Siamese custard-apple tea product was also preferred by Hanoi consumers. Dang Quy Ngoc said that he would actively participate in the same fairs in the future, in order to find opportunities to get his products into a number of supermarkets and large retail systems in Hanoi. "Conquering the big market like Hanoi is my dream", he added.

As well as Thuan Thien Thanh, V.A is a production base specialising in keeping and processing Thac Lac fish (Featherback fish) in Vinh Long. V.A. has a stable source of raw materials and production, however, V.A’s main market is mainly in the southern provinces. Participating in a conference on connecting the supply and demand and trade connections between Hanoi and provinces nationwide in 2017, which took place in early November at Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, in Hanoi, the production base brought not only products but also full documentations, images to introduce the process of keeping clean fish, and processing fish meat, with the aim of introducing the products to the agents in Hanoi, a large potential market. In the first day of the conference, the production base’s owner shared that two agents wanted to sign contracts to sell their products, in addition, a number of other agents were also in the process of negotiating on prices and shipping methods.

Meanwhile, T.T is one of the small and medium-sized enterprises in Hanoi specialising in supplying clean food. It is not a place of production, but the enterprise has a system from breeding farm to farm, providing clean pork, fresh fruit and vegetables, and even self-processing products from pork. T.T participated in the conference on connecting the supply and demand and trade connections between Hanoi and provinces nationwide in 2017, with a booth introducing the enterprise’s products, but the owner of T.T also visited various other booths to find more sources for supplies. At the end of the conference, T.T sold Lang Son clean custard-apple, Hung Yen clean longan, and Cao Phong orange, while also placing Da River’s clean fish onto the list of its products to supply the Hanoian markets.

These are just three of many businesses that have expanded their market through the latest fairs and conferences. The fair and conference are considered as effective activities to attract many local businesses, according to Deputy Director of the HPA Nguyen Ngoc Tu. In last November, the conference on connecting the supply and demand and trade connections between Hanoi and provinces nationwide attracted the participation of 49 provinces and cities, while the Vietnam Local Specialities Fair 2017 at the end of the last November featured the participation of 55 provinces and cities.

The same fairs and conferences have been held almost continuously over the past few years, by the HPA or by the HPA in coordination with other units, provinces and cities. The events received impressive results, such as the signing of the minutes of 14 enterprises of Hanoi and other province in cooperating to promote safe agricultural products; the signing of contracts of 26 enterprises of Hanoi and Lam Dong province to supply safe agricultural products, with the signed contract value estimated at VND 5 billion, at the conference on connecting the trade and promotion of safe agricultural products held by the HPA and Lam Dong provincial Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Center (TIPC Lam Dong).

In addition, at the 17th International Agricullture Trade Fair in Vietnam – Agroviet 2017 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietrap Trading Investment Joint Stock Company participated in the fair with more than 30 product lines, having a direct turnover of more than VND60 million at the fair and connecting with seven units as distribution agents in the southern provinces; Thien Phuc Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company connected with Ocean Information Investment Corporation as a distribution agent in Ho Chi Minh City; Bui Xuan Loi handicraft production base from Son Ha commune, Phu Xuyen district, Hanoi turned over more than VND80 million at the fair, connecting Trung Tin business as joint-venture agent in Ho Chi Minh City; meanwhile S.mart Food Trading Company Limited and Hoa Loc Mango Cooperative agreed on the consumption of Tien Giang mango products in the Hanoi market; and Viet Lien Co., Ltd found a number of partners to act as agents for their herbal bio-products in Ho Chi Minh City.

With more than 10 million habitants, Hanoi is a big market. Meanwhile, the supply of goods in the city is not enough to serve the habitants: rice products meet about 35% of demand; beef meets 15%; aquatic products meet 5%; processed food meets 25%; vegetables meet 65%; and fruit meet 30%. Therefore, the role of conferences and trade fairs held by the HPA is very important, not only to help agricultural businesses from other provinces across the country to expand their market and seek partners, but also contribute to supplying high quality products with good origin to the market in Hanoi.