Do Thang Hai, Director of the Trade Promotion Department, said that the department is cooperating with the Netherlands’ Centre for the Promotion of Imports for developing countries (CBI) to help businesses nationwide improve their designing skills and market research

Hai said the new agreement will lay a legal foundation for both sides to cooperate and promote the export of products, especially high-valued products from the food processing sector to the European market.

Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Joop Scheffers said Vietnam’s traditional products such as rice, coffee and pepper have already penetrated the international market. But many other export items are yet to overcome trade barriers.

The export promotion support program is estimated at EUR1.5 million including EUR1 million from CBI and the remainder from Vietnam.

The program will run from 2013 to 2016 for potential export businesses and the CBI will provide consultancy advice for them to organise an international fair on food processing in Vietnam next year.