Hanoi (VNA) – Improving qualityand diversity of products as well as implementing commitments on food safetyand traceability are key to make inroad into the European market, experts saidat a forum in Hanoi on September 19.

The event was co-organised by the VietnamChamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the European Chamber of Commerce inVietnam (EuroCham), and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairmanof the VCCI Hoang Quang Phong said Vietnam’s agriculture sector has seenremarkable development in recent years with the total export turnover reaching40 billion USD thanks to joint efforts of farmers, businesses, investors, Statemanagement agencies, and international organisations.

The free trade agreement recently signed betweenVietnam and the European Union (EU) is expected to present both opportunitiesand challenges for Vietnamese firms, which requires them to exert more effortsto optimise opportunities and overcome barriers in order to maintain growth andboost export turnover, he said.

He urged businesses to improve the quality ofproducts and seriously follow international practices and commitments in the EU-VietnamFree Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Meanwhile, Vice-Chair of EuroCham Ywert Vissersaid the EU has high standards for imported food, so it is essential forEuropean businesses and Vietnamese producers to work together to develop aworld’s leading agriculture in Vietnam with safe and certified products.

He hoped the forum will help strengthen therelations between Vietnamese and European business communities, thus unlockingall the potential of the EVFTA.

At the forum, participants discussed policiesfor rural development and agriculture and evaluated the export of Vietnameseagricultural products to the EU after the signing of the EVFTA.

They also made assessments on the developmentpotential of the agriculture sector as well as the prospects of applyingdigital technology towards sustainable agricultural development.

European exporters, buyers and businesses sharedexperience in promoting the digitalisation of agriculture and proposed advancedsolutions to improve the production capacity and the quality of Vietnamese farmproduce./.