To have a “passport” on the EU market, agricultural products must meet strict quality requirements. NNVN talks with Mr. Tran Thanh Vu – General Director of Syngenta Vietnam.
Mr. Tran Thanh Vu – General Director of Syngenta Vietnam
The Vietnam – EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), officially effective from August 1, 2020, will be a huge boost to Vietnam’s exports, especially for Vietnamese products. Men have a competitive advantage, including agricultural products.
As a leading company in the agricultural sector, what has Syngenta been doing to help farmers create quality products that can “knock on the door” of the EU market? We have had an interview he Tran Thanh Vu – General Director of Syngenta Vietnam to clarify this issue.
– Syngenta has 30 years of operation in the Vietnamese market, closely attached to farmers. As the head of the company, how do you comment on opportunities and challenges for Vietnamese agricultural products when EVFTA comes into effect?
Mr. Tran Thanh Vu: When EVFTA comes into effect, many agricultural products of Vietnam entering the EU market will be reduced significantly according to the roadmap. This is both an opportunity to boost exports and improve the quality and competitiveness of Vietnam’s agricultural products.
The opportunity that EVFTA brings is great, but this is not a universal key to help Vietnam’s agricultural products massively export to the EU, but only create conditions for goods to meet the conditions and standards to improve competitiveness. thanks to tax reduction, cost reduction compared to before the agreement.
Alongside the opportunities will always be challenges. EU countries can introduce new maximum residue requirements to create technical barriers, forcing us to change to suit the requirements of the import market.
In addition, importers can add requirements and certifications for some social, sustainable, environmental … indicators to differentiate their products when they enter the market.
Linking the value chain to create sustainable coffee production areas, meeting import market requirements
– In your opinion, what do farmers and agricultural exporters in Vietnam need to do to overcome the challenges and make the most of the potential that EVFTA brings?
Mr. Tran Thanh Vu: Farmers have to make the most of these solutions to increase productivity and product quality.
In addition to investing in good varieties with many advantages and high yield and quality, it is necessary to apply advanced farming procedures, according to good agricultural practice standards, to participate in real estate activities. Export in an organized way, with specific planning.
Since then, farmers and exporters have a close relationship through the establishment of value chains from production to consumption. Strengthening the linkage between farmers and businesses in the production and consumption of products will contribute to creating value chains of safe food supply, towards modern commodity production, bringing added value. higher.
– Always providing effective solutions for the agricultural industry, in the current context, what specific plans Syngenta has for each type of agricultural product to help farmers make quality products safe Are there any competitive advantages in the EU?
Mr. Tran Thanh Vu: EVFTA is a great opportunity for the rice industry to increase exports. However, one of the prerequisites for Vietnamese rice to conquer the EU market is quality and overcoming technical barriers in residue.
To increase rice exports, through the Asian Rice Initiative Project, Syngenta cooperated with Olam Group, the German Cooperation Organization (GIZ) and authorities in An Giang and Dong Thap provinces to build sustainable rice farming and residue management models according to SRP standards.
In addition, the company also works with partners to implement a number of sustainable rice projects in the Mekong Delta focusing on premium quality rice and specific quality.
Rice production model in the value chain link project to control residue in An Giang
In these projects, Syngenta cooperates with research institutes and local authorities in piloting and evaluating pest and disease management procedures. These processes, after being evaluated and approved by the purchasing units, will be trained to all farmers in the cooperatives under the project.
For coffee, since 2016 until now, Syngenta joined hands with Louis Dreyfus Group, Sustainable Trade Initiative, Jacobs Douwe Egberts Company and Tay Nguyen Agricultural Science Research Institute to implement Landscape Coffee Project. sustainable in the Central Highlands.
On the basis of sample gardens using a set of sustainable farming solutions, Syngenta technicians and partners provide training in farming techniques, climate change response, integrated pest management and safety. full workforce for over 7,000 farmers. Thereby creating sustainable coffee production areas that meet the requirements of import markets.
In addition, Syngenta also cooperates with partners implementing production value chain projects to control pesticide residues on pepper in the Central Highlands, helping pepper to overcome technical requirements in the EU market. .
With a number of key fruit trees with export potential of Vietnam such as mango, dragon fruit, durian, longan … Syngenta conducts evaluation of the solution set on these plants, thereby giving good procedures. to control pests and diseases and meet the residue target for farmers.
– In the long term, to continue to support farmers and businesses to take advantage of free trade agreements in general, what commitments does Syngenta offer, sir?
Mr. Tran Thanh Vu: Syngenta will continue to invest in R&D activities in Vietnam to bring high efficiency products. We also focus on educating farmers in the safe and efficient use of plant protection products with more than 200,000 farmers trained each year.
In the context that Vietnam is striving to build sustainable agriculture and joining many free trade agreements, Syngenta will continue to assert its important role in the value chain of agricultural production. These pioneering projects are important prerequisites to create a foundation to help Vietnamese agricultural products gain their position on home turf and ready to integrate to integrate to “reach the big sea”.
According to NNVN
