The Ministry of Industry and Trade has set an ambitious plan to help locally – made products penetrate overseas supermarkets.
This move was conducted as part of the ministry's export strategy for 2012.
Dang Hoang Hai, an official from the ministry, said helping
locally-made products in global retail and supermarket chains will be
integral for the country's export plan. This strategy is designed to
gradually generate opportunity for domestic export activity, especially
for major exports like farm produce, fish, food, garment and textiles,
and handicraft products.
Although, export has always been
important to the economy, experts noted that the country's exports are
not sustainable and fail to reach their potential. Domestic products are
mostly exported through middlemen.
The increasing
presence of Vietnamese products in overseas supermarkets not only limit
the cost for intermediate stages but also raise product value and
stabilise exports to avoid risks. Strict requirements for exporters
serve to enhance product quality and help them integrate into a global
distribution network, said Hai.
In addition, Nguyen Canh
Cuong, Vietnam 's trade counsellor in France said that although the
European market is a large one, across it are many similarities and
common standards for product quality. Therefore, if Vietnamese products
enter hyper supermarkets like Metro or Casino, it will be a "passport"
allowing them into other global supermarket chains.
According to experts, Vietnam is emerging as a prestigious exporter
in place of Chinese exports thanks to products like coffee, tea, pepper,
fruits, fisheries and handicraft products. Some said if taken at full
advantage, these products will become more valuable to importers
globally.
However, the major problem posed to exporters
who want to penetrate global supermarket chains is the maintenance of
stability in both quantity and quality.
Hai said global
supermarket chains often make large orders which Vietnamese businesses
do not satisfy. Domestic exporters will always export a first round of
good quality and sufficient quantity, but they can not maintain it in
their next batches.
Many companies made every effort to
sign orders with foreign partners but their contracts were cancelled
after they failed to meet the importers' quality and quantity
requirements./.
