Over 100 representatives of organisations and enterprises from Vietnam, Algeria and Senegal are expected to attend a virtual matchmaking seminar on farm produce among the three countries next month.
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Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Algeria Hoang Duc Nhuan visits a trade fair booth of a local fish feed producer. (Photo: VNA) |
Co-hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department of Trade Promotion (Vietrade) and Asia-Africa Market Department, the event will take place from April 5-6, connecting three main locations – Hanoi (Vietnam), Algiers (Algeria), and Dakar (Senegal).
It is expected to provide an opportunity for the three countries to introduce about their strengths, strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, and connect their agricultural and food producers amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Vietnam’s exports to Algeria totalled around 150 million USD last year with main export items including coffee (94 million USD), fishery products, pepper, rice, cashew nut, aluminium and other metals, chemicals, fabrics, footwear and machinery. Vietnam’s imports from the African country, mostly chicken feet, scrap paper, cattle feed and pharmaceuticals, only valued about 3 million USD.
Meanwhile, in 2019, Vietnam shipped to Senegal more than 52.5 million USD worth of goods, mainly rice, pepper, confectionery, textile and garment, fruits and vegetables, fishery products, vehicles and parts. The Southeast Asian country spent some 41.3 million USD on imported goods, mostly raw cashew nut, cotton, fishery products and cattle feed, from Senegal.
Last year, due to impacts of COVID-19, Vietnam’s shipments to Senegal plunged to 39 million USD, nearly 38.5 percent of which came from rice. The African nation is in need of 800,000 to 1 million tonnes of imported rice annually for domestic use and re-export./.