Hanoi (VNA) – A conference on boosting international cooperation in the agricultural sector in the new phaꦐse of global integration was held in Hanoi on December 17.

The conference brought up a range of subjects, including agricultural trade with Japan and Germany and measures to increase domestic agricultural products’ position on the international market. According to Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Vietnam is among world leading exporters of rice, rubber, coffee, cashew and fisheries products, and a series of free trade agreements (FTA) the country has signed or is going to sign are expected to open up more opportunities to domestic products. However, deeper integration will also bring challenges and greater competition both at home and abroad. Tran Cong Thang from the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development said the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would benefit some produce such as fruit, vegetables and sugarcane, as most of them are exported as raw material or unprocessed products, thus enjoying lower tariffs. However, these products would face stiff competition from foreign counterparts, which are superior in terms of farming technologies and prices. He suggested forming production chains to reduce costs and ensure clear origin, while relevant agencies should build standards for domestic products in line with TPP members. Participants also urged facilitating joint ventures and other investment cooperation forms and promoting technology transfer in the agricultural sector, thus creating more opportunities for local farmers to access advanced techniques in the field.-VNA