Soon to export lemon and pomelo to New Zealand market

On April 6, Vietnam and New Zealand held their second high-level agriculture dialogue virtually. Le Quoc Doanh, Deputy Minister of MARD, represented Vietnam at a meeting with Mr. Ray Smith, Director-General of New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

The leaders emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation and expanding connections in the agriculture sector between the two countries in order to achieve the target of increasing two-way trade to USD 2 billion by 2024. The target was set in the Vietnam-New Zealand Action Program for the 2021-2024 period to foster the Strategic Partnership.

According to Vietnamese Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh, Vietnam's agriculture has overcome obstacles and achieved impressive accomplishments as a result of the Government's decisive leadership and timely shift in the Covid-19 pandemic preventing and responding.

"As the pandemic is brought under control, global agricultural trade will take on a 'new normal' status, creating a slew of enormous opportunities for countries with the appropriate plans and policies. Vietnam expects to expand cooperation with New Zealand in the agricultural sector, including trade, investment, and science and technology, in order to capitalize on all prospects," MARD chief stated.

As a result, the Deputy Minister concluded that agriculture is critical to the economic welfare of the two countries. Vietnam and New Zealand are both significant agricultural producers and exporters, with many complementary products.

The second high-level agricultural dialogue will serve as an impetus for existing cooperation programs and will contribute to the expansion of two-way trade between the two countries, in line with the objectives set forth by the two countries Prime Ministers in their Joint Statement on the Vietnam-New Zealand Strategic Partnership.

Mr. Ray Smith, Director-General of New Zealand's MPI, stated during the dialogue that this is an excellent opportunity for both sides to discuss the prospect of cooperating to establish a sustainable and active agricultural following the Covid-19 epidemic.

Agriculture sector leaders from the two countries committed to promoting bilateral cooperation in areas such as increasing bilateral trade, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, enhancing cooperation in the field of food safety, utilizing technology and agricultural research and development, and promoting rural development.

The MPI is now assisting the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam with a number of projects in the areas of plant quarantine, veterinary epidemiology, and the construction of an electrical certification system for food, agricultural, and forestry products.

These programs support the New Zealand Development Aid Program's agriculture projects in Vietnam, which include the Advanced Fruit Seed Development project in Tien Giang, the Dam Safety Vietnam - New Zealand project in the central area, and the Safe Vegetables project in Binh Dinh.

Mr. Ray Smith said, "We expect to complete licensing procedures for the import of certain fruits from the two nations soon so that Vietnamese people can soon enjoy strawberries and pumpkin from New Zealand, and New Zealanders can soon see Vietnamese lemons and pomelos in supermarkets."

Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh stated that in 2011, Vietnam and New Zealand signed an official guarantee program for imported fresh fruit for mango in 2011, dragon fruit in 2014, and rambutan in 2018.

"The Vietnamese side proposed that fresh lemon and pomelo be the next priority fruits for shipment to New Zealand. The two nations' plant protection agencies are currently negotiating a quarantine agreement, and in the next months, I would like to suggest that the two countries' plant quarantine agencies expedite the process of opening the market for Vietnamese oranges, tangerines, and longans." Le Quoc Doanh, Deputy Minister, stated.

Vietnam's total two-way trade with New Zealand reached USD 1.56 billion at the end of 2021, up 14% from 2020. Vietnam is currently New Zealand's 15th largest trading partner as of December 2021. Vietnam and New Zealand continue to be each other's potential customers, owing to the two countries' significant demand for agricultural products.