Hanoi (VNA) – The training workshop “AssistingVietnamese Enterprises’ Participation in Foreign Distribution Networks” tookplace in Hanoi on May 8, gathering 180 exporters from northern provinces.

The event was co-held by the Ministry of Industry andTrade, Central Group of Thailand, Japan-based Aeon Group, Rungis InternationalMarket – the world’s largest wholesale food market – from France.

It is part of the governmental project, namely“Developing Direct Participation of Vietnamese Enterprises in ForeignDistribution System up to 2020”, that seeks to help local firms develop newexport channels to directly take their products to consumers in foreigncountries. The goal will be achieved via the provision of a series of trainingworkshops for enterprises on management on goods standard and quality,import-export procedures of different overseas markets.

At the workshop, representatives from Central Group andAeon updated participating firms on activities which will take place as part ofthe project in the time ahead to connect Vietnamese firms and foreigndistributors.

Yuichiro Shiotani, director general of Aeon TopvalueVietnam advises local companies to add more values to their products beforeselling them to foreign distribution channels and that the firms should notfocus too much on cheap prices or low labour cost which does not generate realvalues for the products.

He noted that Aeon Topvalu has been working to put anumber of made-in-Vietnam products, which are available in Aeon Vietnam retailstores, on the shelves of its stores in Japan.

Shortly after the training sessions, the businesses wereprovided opportunity to meet with purchasing units of Central Group, Aeon Groupand Rungis International Market to seek partnership.

To effective implement the project, the Ministry ofIndustry and Trade called for the close cooperation between state management bodies, tradepromotion agencies, local governments, enterprises and distributors.Furthermore, the ministry has partnered with several foreign distributors tohold Vietnamese Products Week in EU and Asia since 2011.

Last year, the ministry shook hands with Central Group Vietnam and BigC organise the second VietnameseProducts Week in Thailand in July that showcased a variety of Vietnameseproducts like handicrafts, garment and textile, and farm produce like lichi,dragon fruits and sweet potatoes to be exported to Thailand and other ASEANcountries. The event saw the presence of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.-VNA