Vietnam Foodexpo 2016, the largest exhibition of Vietnam food industry, officially opens

Deputy Minister Ho Thi Kim Thoa gives opening speech at Vietnam Foodexpo 2016

Vietnamese representatives attending the opening ceremony of the exhibition are Ms. Ho Thi Kim Thoa - Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Mr. Truong Quang Hoai Nam - Deputy Chairman of Can Tho city, Mr. Tran Hong Quan - Vice Chairman of Ca Mau Province, Mr. Bui Huy Son - Director General of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency - representing the Organizing Committee, Mr. Le Van Banh – Director General of the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Processing and Salt Agency, representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and representatives of ministries and sectors, Departments of Trade and Industry, Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, Departments of Planning and Investment and Trade Promotion Centers, provincial authorities in the country. International guests are Ms. Cecilia Piccioni, Ambassador of Italy to Vietnam, representing the honored country at the Exhibition; foreign ambassadors, representatives of embassies, general consulates, trade offices and economic organizations in Vietnam.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa said that the food industry in Vietnam today has been able to provide many essential products for the national economy, serving domestic needs and exporting a variety of high quality products to many countries around the world. Along with the increasingly dynamic movement of the economy, changes in consumer habits, the establishment of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and a series of concluded new generation free trade agreements etc., Vietnam food industry Vietnam is facing promising development opportunities.

According to Deputy Minister Ho Thi Kim Thoa, Vietnam Foodexpo 2016 is a large demonstration of the Vietnam food industry. It is professionally organized according to international standards. With more than 550 booths of 400 companies from 30 provinces and cities in the country and 15 foreign countries, the exhibition has become a hub gathering a large number of brands of domestic and international agricultural products, foodstuffs and technology, including those of many leading enterprises and national brand awarded enterprises in Vietnam food industry.

Vietnam Foodexpo this year, in addition to displaying and introducing goods, also has  a variety of activities: business match-making events between Vietnam and foreign companies; buyer receptions; onsite business consulting services, updates on trade and investment situation, particularly in the field of food industry.

In addition, the exhibition also has many activities on the sidelines: Investment Promotion Seminar in the field of food processing industry which takes place on the opening day of the exhibition (afternoon of November 16^th), the 3^rd Vietnam International Conference on Food Industry (Food Vietnam 2016) (November 17^th), the International Sai Gon Cooking Contest (November 18^th), contract signing ceremony, culinary demonstrations, "Impressive Vietnam Foodexpo 2016” certification award, food factory tours, etc.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa visits a booth at Vietnam Foodexpo 2016

Vietnam Foodexpo 2016 is expected to welcome a large number of more than 20,000 visitors, including many international business delegations, coming from 38 countries and territories. Right on the opening day, a large number of trade delegations, potential buyers of many localities in the country and abroad, including Japan, Korea, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, China, Malaysia ... visited and have business transactions at the exhibition.

Deputy Minister Ho Thi Kim Thoa said the Ministry of Industry and Trade believed that Vietnam Foodexpo 2016 would bring practical opportunities for businesses and visitors to access to the products in line with new trends of the domestic and foreign food markets, innovative achievements of science and technology on food storage, food processing; creating a favorable trade promotion environment for businesses to have direct meetings with potential partners to promote brand images, expand markets; contributing significantly to the strong transformation and sustainability of the Vietnam food industry in the process of deep international economic integration; bringing Vietnam gradually to become an industrialized country having safe and modern and internationally competitive food industry.

A corner of Vietnam Foodexpo 2016

"The Ministry of Industry and Trade also appreciates the presence of Italian delegation in Vietnam Foodexpo 2016. As a Contry of Honor, Italian agencies and businesses have carefully prepared, participated in the exhibition with a large scale, contributing to the success of the exhibition, "Deputy Minister Thoa said.

Vietnam Foodexpo 2016 will last until November 19^th 2016.