Trade promotion agencies have and will continue to implement many activities in a bid to help Vietnamese agricultural products achieve deeper penetration into the Dutch market, as well as the EU.

According to Vo Thi Ngoc Diep, Vietnam Trade Counselor in the Netherlands, this year the Trade Office focuses on accelerating the introduction of standard Vietnamese agricultural products and food into Dutch major distribution channels. This is to be done by directly connecting importers with distribution chains and launching a series of activities such as "Vietnam Day" and "Vietnamese Goods Week" at Dutch supermarkets, as well as promoting Vietnamese agricultural products in The Hague.

Along with that, according to the plan set by localities, the Vietnam Trade Office in the Netherlands will co-ordinate efforts with Ha Nam, Ben Tre, Da Nang, and Binh Duong provinces to organise trade promotion and investment promotion activities in the Netherlands.

As a means of Vietnamese goods in general, particularly agricultural products to penetrate deeper into the EU market, not only the Vietnam Trade Office in the Netherlands, but the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, has also embarked on launching a broad array of activities aimed at helping domestic enterprises access this highly-lucrative market.

At a recent signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on co-operation between the Trade Promotion Agency, the Netherlands Senior Experts Programme and the MISSLINH e-commerce platform, Hoang Minh Chien, deputy director of the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry Industry and Trade, said that the signing of the deal will help parties to establish a mechanism for implementing trade promotion activities. This will therefore create favourable conditions for businesses in the nation to effectively participate in export promotion activities through a digital environment, as well as boosting trade links with Dutch businesses.

It is hoped that this factor will contribute to bringing brands and products of Vietnamese enterprises to approach and secure a firm foothold in the Dutch market, as well as beyond in the EU market.

The Netherlands is viewed as the "gateway" of the EU, with one-third of the volume of imported goods going through the Central European nation.

The Netherlands also plays the role of being an important connection point between ports and industrial zones of the EU with the rest of the world.

Most notably, both sides have signed a free trade agreement, according to which about 94% of the total 547 tariff lines for fresh and processed vegetables and fruits are reduced to 0% by the EU.

Therefore, Vietnamese goods entering the Netherlands will be more competitive against competitors.

Although there are many opportunities to penetrate the market, Diep also noted that this year will see the EU focus on amending a lot of regulations relating to the maximum residue level (MRL) of pesticides.

Enterprises exporting Vietnamese agricultural products and foodstuffs to the Dutch and EU markets must regularly monitor, promptly inspect, supervise, and adjust their goods in accordance with regulations, she noted.

Furthermore, in order for Vietnamese agricultural products and food to successfully penetrate and have a sustainable position within the Dutch market, according to many experts, building a brand name can be seen as necessary.

It is therefore imperative for many local businesses to unite in the same product group in order to be strong enough to build and position Vietnamese brands within the Dutch market.

Moreover, businesses must also devise strategies aimed at improving supply chain quality, diversify products, increase competitiveness instead of selling raw and lowering prices, and consigning products;

At the same time it can be viewed as necessary to change the perception of food safety management and supervision, shifting from inspecting final products to monitoring hazards throughout the entire production chain in order to meet relevant standards.

Source: VOV