Expo eyes quality of Mekong producers

Forty-five companies are participating in a four-day fair in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang as part of a national programme to promote high-quality goods in the rural market.

The event is part of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s programme of bringing Vietnamese-made goods to rural areas.

The fair, held in Cai Lay and Go Cong Dong districts, is organised by the Viet Nam Business Studies and Assistance Centre (BSA) and the Tien Giang Province People’s Committee.

The 45 companies, which produce high-quality products, are showcasing processed food, garment and textile products, household utensils and cosmetics.

Since the programme’s first fair in the Cuu Long Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of An Giang last year, the BSA has organised 46 such fairs in 18 cities and provinces, with total participation of 132 companies.

The fairs have earned VND30 billion (US$1.5 million) in revenue and helped raise consumer awareness of Vietnamese-made products.

Under the programme, more than 60 companies have committed to regularly sell goods in rural areas at the fairs.

This year, Vissan, one of the companies in the programme, has participated in 15 fairs in several provinces, including Dong Thap, Ben Tre, Lam Dong, Vinh Long and Bac Lieu. It also reduced the prices of its processed foods by 10 per cent.

In addition, the Sai Gon Co-op supermarket chain is organising at least 20 trips to sell Vietnamese products in rural areas every month, according to its marketing department.

Sai Gon Co-op uses vans as mobile shops to sell essential goods, including fish sauce, cooking oil and monosodium glutamate.

Vu Kim Hanh, BSA director, said: “We plan to continue the programme of taking goods to rural areas, industrial parks and export processing zones.”

Ever since the campaign was launched by the Government more than one year ago, 58 per cent of consumers have shown an interest in locally-made goods, compared to 23 per cent previously, according to a survey conducted by the TV Plus Company. — VNS

Tags: Mekong Delta