While some border gates to China have cleared customs in recent days, European Union countries have decided to close the border. Thus, the export of Vietnam's agricultural products will continue to face many difficulties and challenges in the near future. Efforts to overcome difficulties and find new directions are required to promote agricultural exports in the context of complicated Covid-19 epidemic …
In the first two months of 2020, pangasius export turnover decreased by 27.4% over the same period last year. Photo: Tan Thanh
In the vortex of Covid-19 translation
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the total export turnover of agriculture, forestry and fishery in the first 2 months of 2020 reached US $ 5.34 billion, down 2.8% compared to the same period last year. In which, many agricultural products saw a strong drop like: Pangasius dropped by 27.4%; cashew nuts down 17.4%; vegetables and fruits down 11.9% … Currently, Binh Dinh province has about 600 tons of tuna can not “set out” to Europe. Forecast in March, about 10,000 tons of shrimp will also face difficulties in export. Then 48,000 tons of chili are in the harvest are still looking for markets …
Many agricultural products with strengths in our country's exports such as dragon fruit, watermelon, durian, oranges, etc. are facing many difficulties. “The main markets are China and the United States, Malaysia, but since the beginning of the year, 70% of the fruit has not been exported. We have to rely on the support from associations and sales systems for domestic consumption, ”said Dang Thi Thuy Nga, Director of Xuan Dinh Agricultural Cooperative (Can Tho).
Analyzing this, Director of Department of Agro-product Processing and Market Development (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) Nguyen Quoc Toan said that from the end of January to the middle of February 2020, the Covid-19 outbreak broke out in China. China (the largest market – equal to the US market, accounts for 23.8%), leading to many agricultural products congested at the border gates. At the same time, information, according to forecasts of experts, analysts, investors, translation of Covid-19 continues to greatly affect the export and import of agricultural products worldwide in the medium term.
In the wake of the Covid-19 epidemic, Vietnam's agricultural exports revealed inherent weaknesses. It is spontaneous farming, animal husbandry, is not planned and not associated with processing, development and poor branding. “One of the important causes of agricultural congestion is due to the limited research, forecasting and provision of market information in our country's agricultural sector. Producers lack information or are not provided with timely information, lack the guidance, advice and recommendations of the authorities in the production process. In other words, our country's agricultural products are still in a position to sell what we have but not the markets we need … ”, Vice Chairman of Vietnam Food Association Do Ha Nam said.
Find new directions for Vietnamese agricultural products
The country's chili crop, with an output of 48,000 tons, is entering the harvest phase and is still seeking markets. Photo: Le Tuan
In recent days, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed many solutions to connect with the purchase and consumption of agricultural residues that cannot be exported to farmers and businesses; guide some localities that are growing watermelons and dragon fruits to switch to other crops that are easier to consume (in the short term), such as soybeans, corn, vegetables … In parallel, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development maintains a close relationship. closely with the Trade Mission of Vietnam Embassy in China to develop markets in localities of this country at an appropriate time, when the epidemic is under control and is forecasted to be at the end of March and early April. .
At the conference on promoting trade and development of agricultural production under the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic held in February 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that there would be new solutions such as creating mechanisms for businesses to transfer. fast, strongly shifting to official export (to the Chinese market) and improving product quality to meet the requirements of technical markets such as the US, Japan, Europe …
In addition, it is necessary to continue promoting trade promotion to seek new markets and expand exports. In the first 2 months of the year, in the context of difficulties, rice export turnover still increased by 27%, wood and wood products increased by 10.1% due to independent dependence on traditional customers. quarter for other sectors in diversifying consumption markets.
On the business side – the subject of export activities, there is no other way to be proactive and more active in market development. General Director of Go Dang Joint Stock Company (Tien Giang Province) Nguyen Van Dao shared: “After the Lunar New Year, export orders of enterprises to the Chinese market plummeted. Fortunately, we have been able to expand to new markets, so orders have begun to recover … ”.
According to the Director of Hanoi Seed and Materials Joint Stock Company Nguyen Xuan Truong, businesses need to develop methodically and shift to official export in order to have a sustainable development. “It is expected that on March 13, the company will order 10,000 chrysanthemum flowers to export to Japan. However, in the afternoon of 11-3, we were informed that the airlines did not stop accepting this item. When canceling the contract, the Japanese partner will compensate 100% of the order value, over 100 million VND. Disease is a force majeure problem, so the company shares risks with partners, excluding compensation for long-term cooperation. Those flowers were consumed by the company in the domestic market, because we also had a contingency plan, ”said Mr. Nguyen Xuan Truong.
As the sector commander, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that the Covid-19 epidemic had brought a “positive pressure”, forcing the Agriculture sector to become more aware of the limitations to overcome and give directions. new for the immediate and long-term development: Improve the quality and brand of products; meet high standards of origin of goods, geographical indications; diversify export markets …
The pressure from Covid-19 epidemic forced Vietnam's Agriculture sector to restructure and seek new markets; processing associated with building value chains, applying modern technology instead of exporting raw products … The challenge is ahead, requiring a lot of efforts of management agencies, business community and people. farmer.
Do Minh
Source: New Hanoi Newspaper
