Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnamese fruits are becoming more and morepopular in the Japanese market, reflected through 170 million USD in exportturnover of fruits and vegetables in 2017, an increase of 70 percent againstthe previous year.

This was revealed by Ta Duc Minh, Vietnamese trade counsellor to Japan, duringJapan’s largest international food and beverage exhibition, Foodex Japan 2018,which opened on March 6 in Chiba city.

Up to 20 Vietnamese enterprises from various cities and provinces, such as HCMCity, Hanoi, Nghe An, Bac Giang, Ninh Binh, Dong Thap, Ben Tre, Can Tho,Kien Giang, Lam Dong and Ca Mau, which are active in the field of agro-fisheriesand food export, took part in the event.

The event offers Vietnamese businesses opportunities to promote their exportsin the Japanese and other Asian markets. Besides this, it is an opportunity forVietnam’s firms to develop new export items, sign valuable export contracts,and promote a wide range of Vietnamese food and agricultural products.

[Video: Vietnam joins Foodex 2018 in Japan]

At the expo, Vietnamese firms displayed products such as fruits and vegetables,seafood, cod-liver oil, organic pepper, seedless lemons, rice products, Phu Quocsauce, various biscuits and juices.

Earlier, Vietnamese products were exported to Japan in the form ofsemi-finished products; however, recently, Vietnamese enterprises have focusedon investment and technology cooperation with Japanese enterprises, helpingVietnamese products meet the quality standards of the Japanese market, Minhadded.

The four-day exhibition attracts 3,350 firms from 80 countries and territoriesworldwide, and is expected to welcome some 85,000 visitors.-VNA